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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Dili vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Dili vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,503 per month in Dili vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Dili costs about 17% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dili and Mexico City sit above the global median – Dili by 30%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 $4.92

$12.98 MX$227

-62.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.67 $45.67

$53.1 MX$929

-13.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 $7.86

$9.72 MX$170

-19.14%

Cappuccino

$3.86 $3.86

$3.75 MX$65.6

2.93%

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

$1.61 $1.61

$1.57 MX$27.46

2.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.13 MX$19.76

22.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.18 MX$55.7

-38.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.66 MX$81.6

-2.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.62 MX$28.37

54.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.71 MX$47.36

-12.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.88 MX$32.89

5.32%

Eggs

$2.73 $2.73

$2.51 MX$43.90

8.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$10.08 MX$176

-79.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 $9.53

$8.29 MX$145

14.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.98 $15.98

$11.94 MX$209

33.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.86 MX$50.1

19.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.75 MX$30.62

6.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.08 MX$36.48

-3.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.97 MX$34.46

29.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.16 MX$37.79

-10.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.18 MX$38.16

-44.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.39 MX$24.34

-25.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.12 MX$19.69

-13.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.20 MX$73.5

-33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 $11.84

$14.25 MX$249

-16.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.76 MX$30.85

26.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.68 MX$64.5

-25.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.39 MX$6.74

-38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.39 MX$24.26

157.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 $3.27

$0.30 MX$5.32

990.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.35 $20.35

$5.42 MX$94.9

275.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.35 MX$23.63

14.81%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

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

$151 $151

$40.82 MX$714

269.97%

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

$29.88 $29.88

$27.50 MX$481

8.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.80 $49.80

$30.38 MX$532

63.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 $50.4

$53.4 MX$935

-5.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.94 $2.94

$26.30 MX$460

-88.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 $5.41

$6.27 MX$110

-13.72%

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

$436 MX$7,632

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K $16.1K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

53.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$56.8 MX$993

6.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.56 $29.56

$44.79 MX$784

-34.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 $79.1

$103 MX$1,799

-23.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.2 $59.2

$108 MX$1,888

-45.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 $1,086

$1,000 MX$17.5K

8.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 $945

$620 MX$10.9K

52.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,427 $3,427

$2,137 MX$37.4K

60.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,650 $1,650

$1,235 MX$21.6K

33.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,583 $3,583

$1,067 MX$18.7K

235.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

11.34

-52.65%

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

Last update for Dili: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Dili versus $1,000 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 236% higher in Dili, 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 $46.00 in Dili versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $286 – making Dili 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

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

Yes – Dili is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,609 per month in Dili and $2,225 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Dili – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Dili and $53.0 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 $1,484, than in Dili at $1,739. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dili 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, Dili makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.