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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,178 per month in Courtenay vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,016 per month in Courtenay vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,853 per month in Courtenay vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Courtenay costs about 50% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Courtenay and Mexico City sit above the global median – Courtenay by 63%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.99 CA$18.28

$13.07 MX$228

-0.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 CA$82.8

$53.8 MX$936

9.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 CA$13.65

$9.68 MX$169

0.21%

Cappuccino

$4.12 CA$5.80

$3.74 MX$65.1

10.16%

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

$1.98 CA$2.79

$1.62 MX$28.13

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 CA$1.90

$1.16 MX$20.23

16.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CA$8.42

$3.23 MX$56.2

85.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.65 CA$12.17

$4.74 MX$82.5

82.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.97

$1.65 MX$28.68

27.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 CA$3.23

$2.75 MX$47.95

-16.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.14

$1.87 MX$32.63

19.25%

Eggs

$3.21 CA$4.52

$2.50 MX$43.54

28.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 CA$13.47

$10.20 MX$178

-6.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 CA$13.56

$8.25 MX$144

16.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.95 CA$14.00

$11.82 MX$206

-15.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.31

$3.01 MX$52.4

1.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.81 MX$31.54

-23.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$2.00 MX$34.81

19.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 CA$4.65

$2.00 MX$34.74

65.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.56

$2.08 MX$36.30

21.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.15

$2.27 MX$39.56

-1.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$1.46 MX$25.36

28.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CA$1.65

$1.08 MX$18.74

9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.82 CA$20.85

$4.35 MX$75.7

240.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 CA$15.11

$16.99 MX$296

-36.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.51

$1.73 MX$30.18

84.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.18

$3.58 MX$62.3

-36.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 CA$2.02

$0.39 MX$6.74

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.93 CA$63.2

$18.69 MX$325

140.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 CA$4.60

$1.33 MX$23.08

145.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$0.28 MX$4.87

392.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.77 CA$26.41

$5.25 MX$91.5

257.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.79

$1.34 MX$23.27

-5.22%

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

$13.4K CA$18.9K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

-30.92%

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

$18.9K CA$26.6K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

-20.55%

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

$110 CA$155

$40.69 MX$709

170.51%

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

$44.06 CA$62.0

$26.87 MX$468

63.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.35 CA$65.2

$30.51 MX$531

51.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.37 CA$62.4

$52.8 MX$919

-15.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.21 CA$58.0

$26.65 MX$464

54.63%

Cinema Ticket

$11.13 CA$15.66

$6.51 MX$113

70.97%

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

$956 CA$1,345

$428 MX$7,454

123.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K CA$18.9K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

27.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 CA$68.7

$57.3 MX$997

-14.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.35 CA$46.92

$45.50 MX$792

-26.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 CA$113

$104 MX$1,812

-22.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.8 CA$88.4

$108 MX$1,878

-41.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 CA$1,939

$1,003 MX$17.5K

37.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 CA$1,619

$623 MX$10.8K

84.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,231 CA$3,139

$2,109 MX$36.7K

5.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 CA$2,420

$1,218 MX$21.2K

41.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,300 CA$7,457

$3,885 MX$67.6K

36.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,248 CA$4,570

$1,038 MX$18.1K

212.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

11.34

-46.38%

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

Last update for Courtenay: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,378 in Courtenay versus $1,003 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 213% higher in Courtenay, 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 $59.0 in Courtenay versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $292 – 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

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

Yes – Courtenay is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,267 per month in Courtenay and $2,185 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.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Courtenay, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Courtenay and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,456, than in Courtenay at $2,178. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Courtenay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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