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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,598 in Barrie versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,673 in Barrie versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,748 in Barrie versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Barrie is roughly 80% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barrie 93% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.79 CA$20.65

$12.98 MX$223

13.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 CA$104

$52.6 MX$903

41.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 CA$14.45

$9.43 MX$162

9.76%

Cappuccino

$3.36 CA$4.69

$3.57 MX$61.3

-5.88%

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

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.61 MX$27.55

16.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.15 MX$19.81

-2.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.25 CA$8.73

$3.15 MX$54.0

98.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 CA$8.38

$4.86 MX$83.4

23.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$1.70 MX$29.17

67.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.08

$2.64 MX$45.23

10.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.69

$1.90 MX$32.67

114.74%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.39

$2.54 MX$43.62

23.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 CA$12.59

$10.08 MX$173

-10.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.03 CA$20.99

$8.29 MX$142

81.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.87 CA$34.73

$11.57 MX$199

114.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.05

$3.03 MX$52.0

19.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$1.71 MX$29.35

-25.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.12

$2.05 MX$35.16

43.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CA$6.97

$2.06 MX$35.36

142.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 CA$2.42

$2.06 MX$35.43

-16.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.39

$2.17 MX$37.25

77.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 CA$3.92

$1.40 MX$24.08

100.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.12 MX$19.26

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 CA$16.29

$4.29 MX$73.7

171.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 CA$14.35

$15.41 MX$265

-33.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$1.67 MX$28.74

50.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.17

$3.69 MX$63.3

-38.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 CA$3.68

$0.38 MX$6.55

594.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.9 CA$92.0

$19.06 MX$327

245.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.05

$1.38 MX$23.70

110.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$0.28 MX$4.74

657.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.81 CA$36.04

$5.42 MX$92.9

376.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.54

$1.28 MX$21.98

-14.06%

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

$24.5K CA$34.3K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

29.30%

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

$20.0K CA$28.0K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-14.67%

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

$200 CA$280

$41.02 MX$704

388.47%

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

$42.82 CA$59.8

$26.92 MX$462

59.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.0 CA$105

$29.69 MX$510

152.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.29 CA$52.1

$52.3 MX$898

-28.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.50 CA$52.4

$26.23 MX$450

42.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.08 CA$18.26

$6.18 MX$106

111.65%

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

$1,486 CA$2,075

$427 MX$7,331

247.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.5K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

10.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 CA$101

$56.8 MX$975

26.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 CA$78.6

$44.83 MX$769

25.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CA$204

$105 MX$1,794

39.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$106 MX$1,819

8.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,437 CA$2,006

$995 MX$17.1K

44.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 CA$1,847

$621 MX$10.7K

112.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,190 CA$3,058

$2,126 MX$36.5K

3.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,853 CA$2,588

$1,254 MX$21.5K

47.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,149 CA$7,191

$3,903 MX$67.0K

31.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,402 CA$6,148

$2,096 MX$36.0K

110.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,051 CA$4,260

$1,107 MX$19.0K

175.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

11.34

-41.53%

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

Last update for Barrie: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,437 in Barrie and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrie pays 176% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74.0 in Barrie vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 vs $288 per month, with Mexico City 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

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

Barrie and Mexico City differ by about 80% in total monthly costs ($2,598 vs $1,447 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barrie pays 176% more on average, 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: $1,437 in Barrie versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 246% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,486 in Barrie versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $2,598 in Barrie, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Barrie. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Barrie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.