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: $650 in Bentota versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $877 in Bentota versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,104 in Bentota versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Bentota costs roughly 55% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bentota is 52% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 LKR 1,323

$12.98 MX$223

-69.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.18 LKR 4,395

$52.6 MX$903

-74.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 LKR 2,759

$9.43 MX$162

-12.30%

Cappuccino

$2.64 LKR 879

$3.57 MX$61.3

-26.05%

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

$0.73 LKR 243

$1.61 MX$27.55

-54.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 126

$1.15 MX$19.81

-66.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 775

$3.15 MX$54.0

-26.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,124

$4.86 MX$83.4

-30.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 573

$1.70 MX$29.17

1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$2.64 MX$45.23

-80.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 289

$1.90 MX$32.67

-54.21%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 710

$2.54 MX$43.62

-16.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 LKR 4,768

$10.08 MX$173

41.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 LKR 1,235

$8.29 MX$142

-55.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.99 LKR 1,666

$11.57 MX$199

-56.87%

Apples (1kg)

$7.69 LKR 2,564

$3.03 MX$52.0

153.80%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 292

$1.71 MX$29.35

-48.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.66 LKR 1,888

$2.05 MX$35.16

176.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 LKR 343

$2.06 MX$35.36

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 372

$2.06 MX$35.43

-45.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 460

$2.17 MX$37.25

-36.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 401

$1.40 MX$24.08

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.12 MX$19.26

-50.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 LKR 3,290

$4.29 MX$73.7

129.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 LKR 4,192

$15.41 MX$265

-18.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 700

$1.67 MX$28.74

25.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 962

$3.69 MX$63.3

-21.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 LKR 66.9

$0.38 MX$6.55

-47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$1.38 MX$23.70

-71.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.28 MX$4.74

17.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 204

$5.42 MX$92.9

-88.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.28 MX$21.98

-1.56%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

42.64%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.4M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

46.19%

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

$59.1 LKR 19.7K

$41.02 MX$704

44.03%

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

$2.49 LKR 831

$26.92 MX$462

-90.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.17 LKR 3,392

$29.69 MX$510

-65.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,134

$6.18 MX$106

-44.98%

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

$36.38 LKR 12.1K

$427 MX$7,331

-91.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 147.0K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-95.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.48 LKR 9,166

$56.8 MX$975

-51.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.29 LKR 6,436

$44.83 MX$769

-56.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 LKR 23.2K

$105 MX$1,794

-33.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.85 LKR 13.0K

$106 MX$1,819

-63.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 LKR 80.9K

$995 MX$17.1K

-75.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 LKR 50.8K

$621 MX$10.7K

-75.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in Bentota and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $13.00 in Bentota vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $288 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 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $975 in Bentota and $2,171 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: $243 in Bentota versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $650 per month in Bentota versus $1,447 in Mexico City – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $650 in Bentota versus $1,447 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 123% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.