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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $649 in Bentota versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $865 in Bentota versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,081 in Bentota versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Bentota costs roughly 56% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bentota is 51% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 LKR 1,381

$13.14 MX$227

-68.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.59 LKR 4,559

$53.5 MX$926

-74.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 LKR 2,831

$9.33 MX$161

-9.54%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 891

$3.70 MX$64.0

-28.11%

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

$0.73 LKR 246

$1.60 MX$27.76

-54.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$1.12 MX$19.34

-66.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 797

$3.14 MX$54.3

-24.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 LKR 1,113

$4.85 MX$83.9

-31.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 597

$1.65 MX$28.61

7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 178

$2.71 MX$46.96

-80.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 272

$1.91 MX$33.03

-57.59%

Eggs

$2.22 LKR 745

$2.59 MX$44.81

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,657

$9.81 MX$170

41.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 LKR 1,259

$8.43 MX$146

-55.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.08 LKR 1,704

$11.93 MX$206

-57.42%

Apples (1kg)

$7.50 LKR 2,517

$2.95 MX$51.1

154.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 291

$1.74 MX$30.10

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.89 LKR 1,975

$2.04 MX$35.38

188.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 LKR 345

$2.06 MX$35.64

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 387

$2.15 MX$37.20

-46.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 LKR 472

$2.26 MX$39.02

-37.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 404

$1.39 MX$23.97

-13.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 189

$1.12 MX$19.31

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 LKR 3,388

$4.22 MX$73.0

139.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.86 LKR 4,315

$17.51 MX$303

-26.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 LKR 675

$1.71 MX$29.58

17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 LKR 990

$3.63 MX$62.8

-18.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 LKR 68.5

$0.35 MX$6.10

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 139

$1.38 MX$23.80

-70.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$0.28 MX$4.77

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 194

$5.28 MX$91.3

-89.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 417

$1.36 MX$23.50

-8.82%

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

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

$19.1K MX$330.5K

37.43%

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

$34.1K LKR 11.5M

$23.6K MX$408.4K

44.62%

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

$61.1 LKR 20.5K

$40.53 MX$701

50.75%

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

$2.49 LKR 834

$27.38 MX$474

-90.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.93 LKR 3,332

$30.38 MX$526

-67.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,142

$6.19 MX$107

-45.07%

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

$36.38 LKR 12.2K

$425 MX$7,355

-91.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 147.4K

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-95.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.79 LKR 9,326

$58.3 MX$1,009

-52.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.16 LKR 6,430

$44.57 MX$771

-57.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 LKR 23.2K

$103 MX$1,791

-33.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.05 LKR 12.8K

$109 MX$1,881

-65.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 LKR 80.9K

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-76.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 LKR 51.4K

$623 MX$10.8K

-75.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

11.34

45.06%

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

Last update for Bentota: July 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Bentota and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Bentota vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $293 per month, with Bentota 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

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

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 127% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $974 in Bentota 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $241 in Bentota versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $649 per month in Bentota versus $1,472 in Mexico City – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $649 in Bentota versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Bentota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.