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: $1,000 in Apia versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,533 in Apia versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,066 in Apia versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Apia costs roughly 32% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Apia is 25% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$53.0 WST 143

$13.30 MX$231

298.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.10 WST 97.5

$53.8 MX$932

-32.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.95 WST 37.67

$9.42 MX$163

48.09%

Cappuccino

$2.49 WST 6.73

$3.59 MX$62.3

-30.64%

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

$1.99 WST 5.37

$1.62 MX$28.13

22.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 WST 3.56

$1.12 MX$19.49

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 WST 11.39

$3.25 MX$56.3

29.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 WST 9.45

$4.65 MX$80.6

-24.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 WST 4.74

$1.64 MX$28.37

6.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 WST 2.24

$2.65 MX$46.00

-68.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 WST 4.72

$1.96 MX$33.99

-10.71%

Eggs

$4.27 WST 11.54

$2.54 MX$44.08

68.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.88 WST 2.37

$9.97 MX$173

-91.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 WST 9.36

$8.39 MX$145

-58.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 WST 21.82

$11.83 MX$205

-31.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 WST 13.72

$2.86 MX$49.62

77.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 WST 4.94

$1.73 MX$30.05

5.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 WST 4.90

$1.99 MX$34.50

-8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 WST 11.70

$2.05 MX$35.51

111.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 WST 9.54

$2.06 MX$35.64

71.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 WST 2.84

$2.28 MX$39.54

-53.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 WST 3.15

$1.09 MX$18.83

7.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.17 WST 16.65

$4.27 MX$73.9

44.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.57 WST 44.73

$14.67 MX$254

12.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 WST 4.78

$1.76 MX$30.58

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 WST 9.48

$3.57 MX$61.8

-1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 WST 9.50

$0.38 MX$6.67

826.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 WST 14.58

$1.39 MX$24.09

288.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.45 WST 57.9

$5.41 MX$93.8

296.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 WST 2.82

$1.34 MX$23.22

-22.39%

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

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

$17.54 WST 47.35

$40.30 MX$698

-56.48%

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

$17.72 WST 47.85

$27.15 MX$471

-34.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.20 WST 95.0

$29.46 MX$510

19.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

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

$441 MX$7,637

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.68 WST 134

$57.2 MX$992

-13.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 WST 108

$45.04 MX$781

-10.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 WST 205

$103 MX$1,793

-26.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 WST 267

$109 MX$1,884

-8.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,837 WST 4,959

$1,253 MX$21.7K

46.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $0 in Apia and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36 in Apia vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $286 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 47% 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 $1,499 in Apia and $2,199 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 $1,000 per month in Apia versus $1,466 in Mexico City – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,000 in Apia versus $1,466 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 $1,000 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 47% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.