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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,528 in Douglas versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,890 in Douglas versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,251 in Douglas versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Douglas is roughly 75% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Douglas 88% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.52 IMP 22.02

$12.98 MX$223

127.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 IMP 80.3

$52.6 MX$903

104.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 IMP 7.46

$9.43 MX$162

6.04%

Cappuccino

$5.50 IMP 4.10

$3.57 MX$61.3

54.06%

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

$2.85 IMP 2.13

$1.61 MX$27.55

77.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IMP 1.47

$1.15 MX$19.81

71.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.79 IMP 5.07

$3.15 MX$54.0

115.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 IMP 4.60

$4.86 MX$83.4

26.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 IMP 1.46

$1.70 MX$29.17

15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 IMP 1.51

$2.64 MX$45.23

-23.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 IMP 1.48

$1.90 MX$32.67

4.74%

Eggs

$4.19 IMP 3.13

$2.54 MX$43.62

64.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 IMP 4.99

$10.08 MX$173

-33.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.27 IMP 6.17

$8.29 MX$142

-0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 IMP 8.81

$11.57 MX$199

2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 IMP 1.75

$3.03 MX$52.0

-22.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 IMP 1.33

$1.71 MX$29.35

4.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 IMP 1.95

$2.05 MX$35.16

27.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 IMP 2.21

$2.06 MX$35.36

44.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 IMP 1.79

$2.06 MX$35.43

16.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 IMP 1.85

$2.17 MX$37.25

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 IMP 1.22

$1.40 MX$24.08

17.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 IMP 1.49

$1.12 MX$19.26

78.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.74 IMP 16.96

$4.29 MX$73.7

430.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.91 IMP 8.88

$15.41 MX$265

-22.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.13 IMP 3.08

$1.67 MX$28.74

147.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 IMP 2.74

$3.69 MX$63.3

-0.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 IMP 2.27

$0.38 MX$6.55

700.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 IMP 57.5

$19.06 MX$327

304.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 IMP 3.95

$1.38 MX$23.70

283.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IMP 1.10

$0.28 MX$4.74

428.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.7 IMP 61.7

$5.42 MX$92.9

1425.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 IMP 1.62

$1.28 MX$21.98

69.53%

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

$34.9K IMP 26.0K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

83.96%

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

$34.9K IMP 26.0K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

48.83%

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

$308 IMP 230

$41.02 MX$704

650.59%

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

$39.14 IMP 29.20

$26.92 MX$462

45.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 IMP 53.1

$29.69 MX$510

139.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 IMP 46.76

$52.3 MX$898

19.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 IMP 14.92

$26.23 MX$450

-23.75%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 IMP 10.25

$6.18 MX$106

122.17%

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

$1,297 IMP 968

$427 MX$7,331

203.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K IMP 24.1K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

202.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.3 IMP 71.8

$56.8 MX$975

69.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.94 IMP 30.54

$44.83 MX$769

-8.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 IMP 90.5

$105 MX$1,794

16.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 IMP 58.4

$106 MX$1,819

-26.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 IMP 927

$995 MX$17.1K

24.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 IMP 831

$621 MX$10.7K

79.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,131 IMP 1,589

$2,126 MX$36.5K

0.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,901 IMP 1,418

$1,254 MX$21.5K

51.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,042 IMP 3,015

$3,903 MX$67.0K

3.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,090 IMP 2,305

$2,096 MX$36.0K

47.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,029 IMP 2,259

$1,107 MX$19.0K

173.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.66

11.34

-67.72%

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

Last update for Douglas: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,243 in Douglas and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 174% 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: $108 in Douglas vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $288 per month, with Mexico City 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

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

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Douglas pays 174% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,243 in Douglas versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,528 per month in Douglas versus $1,447 in Mexico City – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 304% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $2,528 in Douglas, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Douglas. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Douglas and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.