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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,626 in Bålsta versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,567 in Bålsta versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,507 in Bålsta versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Bålsta costs roughly 1% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bålsta 18% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.20 SEK 136

$12.11 MX$205

17.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 SEK 652

$52.2 MX$883

30.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 SEK 87.3

$10.90 MX$184

-16.33%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SEK 41.34

$4.05 MX$68.5

6.67%

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

$2.79 SEK 26.66

$1.72 MX$28.99

62.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 SEK 21.90

$1.38 MX$23.28

65.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 SEK 69.4

$3.47 MX$58.6

109.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 SEK 70.4

$5.81 MX$98.2

26.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 SEK 14.83

$1.85 MX$31.32

-16.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 SEK 19.62

$3.22 MX$54.5

-36.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 35.43

$2.09 MX$35.24

77.03%

Eggs

$3.81 SEK 36.41

$2.91 MX$49.16

30.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.69 SEK 112

$12.49 MX$211

-6.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 SEK 120

$10.11 MX$171

23.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 SEK 110

$15.89 MX$269

-27.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 25.74

$3.31 MX$56.0

-18.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 SEK 26.79

$2.13 MX$35.94

31.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SEK 20.54

$2.19 MX$37.02

-1.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.38

$2.45 MX$41.36

21.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 14.75

$2.19 MX$36.99

-29.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SEK 12.24

$1.90 MX$32.19

-32.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 SEK 15.50

$1.62 MX$27.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SEK 10.24

$1.35 MX$22.81

-20.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.27 SEK 69.6

$5.43 MX$91.7

33.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.58 SEK 101

$17.59 MX$297

-39.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.84

$2.07 MX$34.95

-25.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.86

$4.75 MX$80.2

-56.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.47 SEK 33.16

$0.34 MX$5.74

920.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.2 SEK 767

$21.58 MX$365

271.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 SEK 57.8

$2.04 MX$34.48

196.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 15.34

$0.58 MX$9.77

175.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.0 SEK 794

$5.97 MX$101

1290.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 SEK 17.65

$1.62 MX$27.30

13.58%

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

$35.4K SEK 338.5K

$22.8K MX$385.5K

55.12%

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

$34.3K SEK 327.9K

$26.7K MX$450.6K

28.56%

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

$53.6 SEK 513

$65.2 MX$1,102

-17.81%

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

$21.09 SEK 202

$29.87 MX$505

-29.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.49 SEK 397

$36.55 MX$618

13.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.72 SEK 380

$61.0 MX$1,031

-34.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.61 SEK 255

$26.70 MX$451

-0.34%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 SEK 129

$6.85 MX$116

97.08%

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

$127 SEK 1,213

$453 MX$7,662

-72.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,225 SEK 50.0K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-60.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.2 SEK 700

$75.0 MX$1,267

-2.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.59 SEK 101

$55.3 MX$934

-80.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 SEK 804

$114 MX$1,920

-25.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 SEK 1,103

$123 MX$2,073

-6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 SEK 8,185

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-24.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 SEK 5,992

$712 MX$12.0K

-12.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 SEK 13.3K

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-45.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 SEK 10.2K

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-18.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,199 SEK 40.2K

$3,993 MX$67.5K

5.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,939 SEK 28.1K

$2,095 MX$35.4K

40.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,069 SEK 38.9K

$1,047 MX$17.7K

288.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-73.45%

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

Last update for Bålsta: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $856 in Bålsta and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 289% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Bålsta vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $311 vs $345, with Bålsta cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Bålsta wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bålsta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 289% higher in Bålsta, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $856 in Bålsta versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,626 per month in Bålsta versus $1,646 in Mexico City – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 272% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,626 in Bålsta versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bålsta but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bålsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bålsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,626 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bålsta 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 Bålsta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.