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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $338 in Chingola versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $579 in Chingola versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $821 in Chingola versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Chingola costs roughly 77% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chingola is 75% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 ZMW 222

$13.07 MX$229

-6.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.15 ZMW 385

$53.8 MX$943

-60.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

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

$0.40 ZMW 7.22

$1.62 MX$28.34

-75.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ZMW 5.48

$1.16 MX$20.37

-74.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 ZMW 8.66

$3.23 MX$56.6

-85.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 ZMW 18.50

$4.74 MX$83.1

-78.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 ZMW 18.12

$1.65 MX$28.89

-39.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 ZMW 14.89

$2.75 MX$48.30

-70.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 ZMW 38.40

$1.87 MX$32.87

12.83%

Eggs

$1.14 ZMW 20.66

$2.50 MX$43.86

-54.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.04 ZMW 37.20

$8.25 MX$145

-75.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.65 ZMW 66.4

$11.82 MX$207

-69.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ZMW 30.53

$3.01 MX$52.8

-44.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ZMW 30.45

$1.81 MX$31.77

-7.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ZMW 29.94

$2.00 MX$35.07

-18.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ZMW 30.79

$2.00 MX$35.00

-15.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 ZMW 46.04

$2.08 MX$36.56

21.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 ZMW 22.21

$2.27 MX$39.85

-46.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ZMW 12.50

$1.08 MX$18.88

-36.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.27 ZMW 23.05

$4.35 MX$76.3

-70.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 ZMW 103

$16.99 MX$298

-66.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ZMW 8.81

$1.73 MX$30.40

-72.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ZMW 10.95

$3.58 MX$62.7

-83.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ZMW 8.17

$0.28 MX$4.91

60.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.31 ZMW 151

$5.25 MX$92.1

58.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ZMW 22.13

$1.34 MX$23.44

-8.96%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$42.20 ZMW 768

$40.69 MX$714

3.71%

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

$26.87 MX$471

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.08 ZMW 147

$52.8 MX$926

-84.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

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

$428 MX$7,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.57 ZMW 302

$57.3 MX$1,004

-71.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.28 ZMW 187

$45.50 MX$798

-77.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.97 ZMW 746

$104 MX$1,825

-60.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.6 ZMW 1,139

$108 MX$1,891

-41.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.9K ZMW 306.9K

$2,033 MX$35.7K

729.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$120 ZMW 2,183

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-88.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Chingola: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 765% 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: $21.00 in Chingola vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $119 vs $292 per month, with Chingola 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

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

Chingola is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 331% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 765% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 146% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $338 in Chingola versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chingola but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Chingola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Chingola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 331% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.