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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,482 per month in Canberra vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,566 per month in Canberra vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,650 per month in Canberra vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Canberra costs about 69% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Canberra and Mexico City sit above the global median – Canberra by 85%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 A$22.37

$13.18 MX$228

21.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 A$120

$53.9 MX$932

60.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 A$13.74

$9.42 MX$163

4.67%

Cappuccino

$3.36 A$4.68

$3.55 MX$61.4

-5.35%

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

$2.58 A$3.59

$1.62 MX$27.98

59.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 A$3.24

$1.11 MX$19.27

109.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 A$8.99

$3.12 MX$54.0

106.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 A$10.46

$4.63 MX$80.1

61.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 A$1.98

$1.70 MX$29.43

-16.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.74

$2.72 MX$47.02

-1.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 A$2.57

$1.91 MX$33.07

-3.14%

Eggs

$4.10 A$5.72

$2.54 MX$43.86

61.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 A$13.96

$10.03 MX$174

-0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 A$12.85

$8.09 MX$140

13.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.94 A$20.82

$11.62 MX$201

28.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.56

$2.97 MX$51.3

10.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 A$3.98

$1.81 MX$31.24

58.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.26

$2.01 MX$34.82

52.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.79

$2.03 MX$35.20

140.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.18

$2.12 MX$36.75

7.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.93

$2.27 MX$39.25

-7.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.31

$1.40 MX$24.22

70.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.80

$1.13 MX$19.55

14.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.41 A$42.38

$4.27 MX$73.9

612.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 A$20.63

$15.56 MX$269

-4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.10 A$7.10

$1.76 MX$30.39

189.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 A$8.51

$3.60 MX$62.2

69.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 A$4.55

$0.38 MX$6.62

757.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$168

$19.18 MX$332

527.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 A$5.69

$1.38 MX$23.79

195.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 A$2.39

$0.28 MX$4.78

514.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.63 A$56.6

$5.45 MX$94.2

645.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.60

$1.30 MX$22.55

-11.54%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

53.61%

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

$22.6K A$31.5K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-2.13%

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

$222 A$310

$40.86 MX$707

444.13%

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

$30.13 A$41.99

$26.81 MX$464

12.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 A$72.7

$29.96 MX$518

74.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 A$83.6

$52.0 MX$900

15.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 A$28.92

$26.84 MX$464

-22.69%

Cinema Ticket

$13.59 A$18.93

$6.30 MX$109

115.71%

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

$1,763 A$2,456

$436 MX$7,544

304.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K A$18.7K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

28.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 A$98.3

$56.7 MX$980

24.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 A$79.0

$44.38 MX$768

27.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 A$139

$103 MX$1,780

-3.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 A$161

$106 MX$1,825

9.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 A$2,157

$1,022 MX$17.7K

51.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 A$1,589

$631 MX$10.9K

80.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 A$3,978

$2,136 MX$36.9K

33.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 A$2,444

$1,243 MX$21.5K

41.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,990 A$12.5K

$3,903 MX$67.5K

130.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,079 A$8,471

$2,064 MX$35.7K

194.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,626 A$6,446

$1,115 MX$19.3K

314.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

11.34

-44.53%

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

Last update for Canberra: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,548 in Canberra 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 315% higher in Canberra, 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 $86.0 in Canberra versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $288 – making Mexico City 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,482 in Canberra, $1,467 in Mexico City – roughly 69% apart. Canberra costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,723 per month in Canberra 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 Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,482 in Canberra and $1,467 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 528% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Canberra at $2,482. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Canberra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,467 in Mexico City to $2,482 in Canberra. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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