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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Calgary versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Calgary is roughly 69% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.86

$13.07 MX$227

40.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.6

$53.8 MX$936

30.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.44

$9.68 MX$168

13.12%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.27

$3.74 MX$65.1

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

$2.04 CA$2.88

$1.62 MX$28.12

25.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.16 MX$20.22

43.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.34

$3.23 MX$56.2

60.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.47

$4.74 MX$82.5

41.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.17

$1.65 MX$28.67

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.75 MX$47.92

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.56

$1.87 MX$32.62

72.73%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.86

$2.50 MX$43.51

38.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.31

$10.20 MX$178

41.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.18

$8.25 MX$144

56.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.37

$11.82 MX$206

34.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.06

$3.01 MX$52.4

42.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$1.81 MX$31.53

-25.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.43

$2.00 MX$34.79

92.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$6.00

$2.00 MX$34.72

112.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.59

$2.08 MX$36.28

22.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.70

$2.27 MX$39.54

15.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.95

$1.46 MX$25.35

91.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.75

$1.08 MX$18.73

80.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.11

$4.35 MX$75.7

244.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.61

$16.99 MX$296

-18.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.12

$1.73 MX$30.17

68.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.51

$3.58 MX$62.3

9.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$0.39 MX$6.74

602.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$18.69 MX$325

369.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.08

$1.33 MX$23.07

170.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$0.28 MX$4.87

364.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.49

$5.25 MX$91.4

446.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.58

$1.34 MX$23.26

-16.42%

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

$25.5K CA$35.9K

$19.4K MX$337.8K

31.25%

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

$21.7K CA$30.7K

$23.8K MX$414.8K

-8.76%

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

$213 CA$300

$40.69 MX$708

423.40%

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

$40.96 CA$57.8

$26.87 MX$468

52.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.7

$30.51 MX$531

89.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.4

$52.8 MX$919

2.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.8

$26.65 MX$464

101.69%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.82

$6.51 MX$113

94.01%

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

$874 CA$1,233

$428 MX$7,450

104.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$10.5K MX$182.7K

51.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.7

$57.3 MX$996

2.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.3

$45.50 MX$792

3.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$104 MX$1,811

-18.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$152

$108 MX$1,877

-0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,947

$1,003 MX$17.5K

37.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,635

$623 MX$10.8K

86.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,278

$2,109 MX$36.7K

10.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,686

$1,218 MX$21.2K

56.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,340

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-2.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,952

$2,033 MX$35.4K

72.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,146

$1,038 MX$18.1K

183.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

11.34

-49.65%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 183% 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: $70.0 in Calgary vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $292 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

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

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 183% higher in Calgary, 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: $1,380 in Calgary versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.