Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,543 per month in Amsterdam vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,055 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,567 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 141% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Amsterdam and Mexico City sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 164%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.95 €19.76

$13.18 MX$228

74.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 €94.0

$53.9 MX$931

102.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.93 €12.85

$9.42 MX$163

58.49%

Cappuccino

$4.98 €4.29

$3.55 MX$61.3

40.28%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 €2.91

$1.62 MX$27.95

108.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 €2.83

$1.11 MX$19.25

196.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.91 €5.95

$3.12 MX$53.9

121.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 €5.93

$4.63 MX$80.0

48.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.70 MX$29.40

-13.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.72 MX$46.97

-9.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.91 MX$33.04

35.60%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.57

$2.54 MX$43.82

108.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.77 €12.72

$10.03 MX$173

47.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.48 €12.46

$8.09 MX$140

78.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 €14.27

$11.62 MX$201

42.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.97 MX$51.3

-5.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.20

$1.81 MX$31.21

40.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 €1.90

$2.01 MX$34.79

9.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 €4.20

$2.03 MX$35.16

140.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.12 MX$36.71

-3.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.27 MX$39.21

-7.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.40 MX$24.20

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.13 MX$19.53

2.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.36 €12.36

$4.27 MX$73.8

236.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 €6.47

$15.56 MX$269

-51.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.76 MX$30.36

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.65

$3.60 MX$62.1

-14.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 €3.36

$0.38 MX$6.62

926.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €102

$19.18 MX$331

514.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.11

$1.38 MX$23.77

245.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 €2.60

$0.28 MX$4.78

978.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.2 €56.1

$5.45 MX$94.1

1095.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.30 MX$22.53

76.15%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$43.5K €37.4K

$18.7K MX$322.9K

132.63%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$38.7K €33.3K

$23.1K MX$399.7K

67.15%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$304 €262

$40.86 MX$706

643.88%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.92 €18.87

$26.81 MX$463

-18.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 €44.86

$29.96 MX$518

73.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 €54.7

$52.0 MX$899

22.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.68 €34.16

$26.84 MX$464

47.84%

Cinema Ticket

$17.14 €14.75

$6.30 MX$109

172.06%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,862 €2,464

$436 MX$7,536

556.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K €18.1K

$10.4K MX$180.0K

101.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.5

$56.7 MX$979

79.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.40 €42.53

$44.38 MX$767

11.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €105

$103 MX$1,779

18.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$106 MX$1,823

30.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 €2,049

$1,022 MX$17.7K

132.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 €1,687

$631 MX$10.9K

210.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,236 €3,646

$2,136 MX$36.9K

98.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,031 €2,610

$1,243 MX$21.5K

143.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,577

$3,903 MX$67.4K

185.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,621 €6,561

$2,064 MX$35.7K

269.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,906 €4,224

$1,115 MX$19.3K

340.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

11.34

-64.55%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Amsterdam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,380 in Amsterdam versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 340% higher in Amsterdam, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $109 in Amsterdam versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $288 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Amsterdam vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 141%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,314 per month in Amsterdam and $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 515% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,862 per month in Amsterdam and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Amsterdam at $3,543. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amsterdam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amsterdam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.