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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Chengdu vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,083 per month in Chengdu vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,477 per month in Chengdu vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Chengdu is about 53% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chengdu sits 49% below the global median, while Mexico City is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 ¥19.33

$13.18 MX$228

-78.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ¥163

$53.9 MX$931

-55.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ¥33.77

$9.42 MX$163

-47.03%

Cappuccino

$2.77 ¥18.76

$3.55 MX$61.3

-21.97%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$1.62 MX$27.95

-71.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.06

$1.11 MX$19.25

-72.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$3.12 MX$53.9

-63.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.45

$4.63 MX$80.0

-54.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥12.20

$1.70 MX$29.40

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.40

$2.72 MX$46.97

-48.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.10

$1.91 MX$33.04

-52.88%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.62

$2.54 MX$43.82

-26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 ¥92.2

$10.03 MX$173

35.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ¥24.11

$8.09 MX$140

-56.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 ¥76.1

$11.62 MX$201

-3.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.63

$2.97 MX$51.3

-37.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ¥8.00

$1.81 MX$31.21

-34.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.16

$2.01 MX$34.79

-25.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥7.02

$2.03 MX$35.16

-48.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.74

$2.12 MX$36.71

-66.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.72

$2.27 MX$39.21

-69.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.82

$1.40 MX$24.20

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.13

$1.13 MX$19.53

-46.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ¥21.95

$4.27 MX$73.8

-24.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 ¥36.83

$15.56 MX$269

-65.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.79

$1.76 MX$30.36

-43.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.69

$3.60 MX$62.1

-48.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.78

$0.38 MX$6.62

7.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.31 ¥185

$19.18 MX$331

42.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.29

$1.38 MX$23.77

-11.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$0.28 MX$4.78

-7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 ¥27.67

$5.45 MX$94.1

-24.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.30 MX$22.53

-12.31%

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

$18.7K ¥126.8K

$18.7K MX$322.9K

0.17%

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

$16.0K ¥108.6K

$23.1K MX$399.7K

-30.66%

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

$45.05 ¥305

$40.86 MX$706

10.25%

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

$11.69 ¥79.2

$26.81 MX$463

-56.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 ¥77.1

$29.96 MX$518

-62.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.49 ¥166

$52.0 MX$899

-52.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ¥75.6

$26.84 MX$464

-58.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 ¥37.51

$6.30 MX$109

-12.06%

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

$333 ¥2,253

$436 MX$7,536

-23.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥82.2K

$10.4K MX$180.0K

16.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.92 ¥257

$56.7 MX$979

-33.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.57 ¥261

$44.38 MX$767

-13.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 ¥456

$103 MX$1,779

-34.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.7 ¥343

$106 MX$1,823

-51.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 ¥2,153

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-68.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ¥1,215

$631 MX$10.9K

-71.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 ¥4,135

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-71.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ¥2,266

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-73.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,810 ¥25.8K

$3,903 MX$67.4K

-2.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,922 ¥13.0K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-6.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,257 ¥8,515

$1,115 MX$19.3K

12.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

11.34

-62.87%

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

Last update for Chengdu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Chengdu 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 13% higher in Chengdu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Chengdu versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $288 – making Chengdu 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $689 in Chengdu, $1,467 in Mexico City – roughly 113% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,033 per month in Chengdu 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 Chengdu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Chengdu and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $689 in Chengdu and $1,467 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chengdu, where all-in costs run around $689, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Chengdu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City 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 $689 in Chengdu to $1,467 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. 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.