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 $1,115 per month in Boroko vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,539 per month in Boroko vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,963 per month in Boroko vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Boroko is about 24% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Boroko sits 17% below the global median, while Mexico City is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 PGK 35.01

$13.18 MX$228

-39.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.81 PGK 169

$53.9 MX$932

-28.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 PGK 25.89

$9.42 MX$163

-36.94%

Cappuccino

$2.26 PGK 9.87

$3.55 MX$61.4

-36.34%

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

$0.81 PGK 3.54

$1.62 MX$27.98

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 PGK 3.63

$1.11 MX$19.27

-25.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 PGK 10.67

$3.12 MX$54.0

-21.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 PGK 18.18

$4.63 MX$80.1

-9.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 PGK 7.11

$1.70 MX$29.43

-4.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 PGK 5.67

$2.72 MX$47.02

-52.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PGK 5.59

$1.91 MX$33.07

-32.98%

Eggs

$3.93 PGK 17.16

$2.54 MX$43.86

54.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 PGK 19.88

$10.03 MX$174

-54.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 PGK 26.64

$8.09 MX$140

-24.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 PGK 31.06

$11.62 MX$201

-38.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 PGK 17.85

$2.97 MX$51.3

37.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 PGK 12.91

$1.81 MX$31.24

63.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 PGK 12.64

$2.01 MX$34.82

44.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 PGK 12.63

$2.03 MX$35.20

42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 PGK 13.89

$2.12 MX$36.75

50.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 PGK 4.01

$2.27 MX$39.25

-59.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 PGK 5.30

$1.40 MX$24.22

-12.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 PGK 2.18

$1.13 MX$19.55

-55.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 PGK 26.50

$4.27 MX$73.9

42.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.12 PGK 22.34

$15.56 MX$269

-67.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 PGK 5.11

$1.76 MX$30.39

-33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 PGK 7.13

$3.60 MX$62.2

-54.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 PGK 2.15

$0.38 MX$6.62

28.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.68 PGK 138

$19.18 MX$332

65.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 PGK 20.87

$1.38 MX$23.79

246.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 PGK 6.58

$0.28 MX$4.78

439.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.91 PGK 51.9

$5.45 MX$94.2

118.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 PGK 3.84

$1.30 MX$22.55

-32.31%

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

$22.5K PGK 98.0K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

20.23%

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

$24.5K PGK 107.0K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

6.04%

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

$67.8 PGK 296

$40.86 MX$707

65.83%

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

$46.77 PGK 204

$26.81 MX$464

74.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$239 PGK 1,042

$29.96 MX$518

697.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.41 PGK 202

$52.0 MX$900

-10.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.91 PGK 69.4

$26.84 MX$464

-40.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 PGK 30.83

$6.30 MX$109

12.22%

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

$363 PGK 1,584

$436 MX$7,544

-16.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,369 PGK 10.3K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-77.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.80 PGK 139

$56.7 MX$980

-43.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.15 PGK 61.7

$44.38 MX$768

-68.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.86 PGK 209

$103 MX$1,780

-53.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.78 PGK 126

$106 MX$1,825

-72.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,646 PGK 15.9K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

256.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 PGK 1,053

$631 MX$10.9K

-61.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,574 PGK 15.6K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

67.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 PGK 1,044

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-80.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$369 PGK 1,608

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-66.93%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,646 in Boroko versus $1,022 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 202% 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 $39.00 in Boroko versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $288 – 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 32% 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 $1,673 per month in Boroko and $2,201 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 $363 per month in Boroko and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $1,115, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $1,115 versus $1,467 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.