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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $971 in Apia versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,534 in Apia versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,097 in Apia versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Apia costs roughly 34% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Apia is 27% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$53.0 WST 146

$13.14 MX$229

303.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.35 WST 97.2

$53.5 MX$934

-33.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.72 WST 37.74

$9.33 MX$163

47.05%

Cappuccino

$2.46 WST 6.78

$3.70 MX$64.5

-33.51%

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

$2.04 WST 5.60

$1.60 MX$27.98

27.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 WST 3.62

$1.12 MX$19.49

16.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.20 WST 11.56

$3.14 MX$54.7

33.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 WST 9.52

$4.85 MX$84.5

-28.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 WST 5.05

$1.65 MX$28.84

11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 WST 2.16

$2.71 MX$47.34

-70.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 WST 5.00

$1.91 MX$33.29

-4.71%

Eggs

$4.26 WST 11.72

$2.59 MX$45.17

64.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.93 WST 2.55

$9.81 MX$171

-90.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 WST 9.66

$8.43 MX$147

-58.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.10 WST 22.27

$11.93 MX$208

-32.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 WST 13.99

$2.95 MX$51.5

72.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 WST 5.05

$1.74 MX$30.35

5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 WST 5.04

$2.04 MX$35.66

-10.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 WST 12.07

$2.06 MX$35.93

113.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 WST 9.96

$2.15 MX$37.49

68.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 WST 2.87

$2.26 MX$39.33

-53.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 WST 3.28

$1.12 MX$19.47

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 WST 16.66

$4.22 MX$73.6

43.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.39 WST 45.06

$17.51 MX$305

-6.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 WST 4.99

$1.71 MX$29.82

5.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 WST 9.75

$3.63 MX$63.4

-2.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 WST 10.07

$0.35 MX$6.15

945.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 WST 14.81

$1.38 MX$24.00

289.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.59 WST 59.4

$5.28 MX$92.0

308.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 WST 2.86

$1.36 MX$23.69

-23.53%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

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

$17.60 WST 48.39

$40.53 MX$707

-56.58%

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

$17.76 WST 48.85

$27.38 MX$478

-35.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.95 WST 98.9

$30.38 MX$530

18.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

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

$425 MX$7,414

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 WST 138

$58.3 MX$1,017

-14.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.48 WST 109

$44.57 MX$777

-11.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 WST 209

$103 MX$1,805

-26.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 WST 274

$109 MX$1,897

-8.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 WST 5,102

$1,223 MX$21.3K

51.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Apia: July 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Apia vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $293 per month, with Apia cheaper across the board.

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

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

Apia wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Apia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,456 in Apia and $2,208 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you'll spend $971 per month in Apia versus $1,472 in Mexico City – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $971 in Apia versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Apia but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Apia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Apia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $971 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Apia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Apia and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Apia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.