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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,120 per month in Boroko vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,557 per month in Boroko vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,995 per month in Boroko vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Boroko is about 23% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Boroko sits 16% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.78 PGK 34.23

$13.07 MX$229

-40.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.91 PGK 167

$53.8 MX$943

-29.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 PGK 25.65

$9.68 MX$170

-39.77%

Cappuccino

$2.26 PGK 9.94

$3.74 MX$65.6

-39.57%

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

$0.74 PGK 3.27

$1.62 MX$28.34

-54.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 PGK 3.55

$1.16 MX$20.37

-30.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 PGK 10.48

$3.23 MX$56.6

-26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 PGK 18.18

$4.74 MX$83.1

-12.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 PGK 7.48

$1.65 MX$28.89

3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 PGK 5.75

$2.75 MX$48.30

-52.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 PGK 5.82

$1.87 MX$32.87

-29.41%

Eggs

$3.84 PGK 16.92

$2.50 MX$43.86

53.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 PGK 18.96

$10.20 MX$179

-57.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 PGK 27.93

$8.25 MX$145

-23.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.98 PGK 30.71

$11.82 MX$207

-40.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.10 PGK 18.04

$3.01 MX$52.8

36.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 PGK 12.32

$1.81 MX$31.77

54.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 PGK 13.32

$2.00 MX$35.07

51.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 PGK 12.60

$2.00 MX$35.00

43.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 PGK 13.47

$2.08 MX$36.56

47.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 PGK 4.07

$2.27 MX$39.85

-59.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 PGK 5.22

$1.46 MX$25.55

-18.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 PGK 2.19

$1.08 MX$18.88

-53.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 PGK 25.89

$4.35 MX$76.3

35.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 PGK 22.70

$16.99 MX$298

-69.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 PGK 5.42

$1.73 MX$30.40

-28.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 PGK 7.60

$3.58 MX$62.7

-51.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 PGK 2.21

$0.39 MX$6.79

28.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.82 PGK 140

$18.69 MX$328

70.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.83 PGK 21.26

$1.33 MX$23.25

263.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 PGK 6.35

$0.28 MX$4.91

414.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.97 PGK 52.7

$5.25 MX$92.1

128.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 PGK 3.77

$1.34 MX$23.44

-35.82%

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

$22.5K PGK 98.9K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

15.83%

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

$24.2K PGK 106.4K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

1.50%

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

$66.3 PGK 292

$40.69 MX$714

62.96%

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

$48.00 PGK 211

$26.87 MX$471

78.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$245 PGK 1,076

$30.51 MX$535

701.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.74 PGK 197

$52.8 MX$926

-15.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.49 PGK 68.2

$26.65 MX$467

-41.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 PGK 31.43

$6.51 MX$114

9.68%

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

$361 PGK 1,589

$428 MX$7,508

-15.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,361 PGK 10.4K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-77.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.74 PGK 140

$57.3 MX$1,004

-44.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.69 PGK 64.6

$45.50 MX$798

-67.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.45 PGK 209

$104 MX$1,825

-54.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.24 PGK 124

$108 MX$1,891

-73.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,624 PGK 15.9K

$1,003 MX$17.6K

261.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 PGK 1,037

$623 MX$10.9K

-62.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,612 PGK 15.9K

$2,109 MX$37.0K

71.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 PGK 1,045

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-80.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$360 PGK 1,584

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-65.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-3.00%

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

Last update for Boroko: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,624 in Boroko versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 188% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Boroko versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $292 – making Boroko the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Mexico City costs about 30% more than Boroko, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,679 per month in Boroko and $2,185 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boroko, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $361 per month in Boroko and $428 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Boroko, where all-in costs run around $1,120, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Boroko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boroko costs $1,120 versus $1,456 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Boroko. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.