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: $2,524 in Douglas versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,870 in Douglas versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,215 in Douglas versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Douglas is roughly 70% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Douglas 89% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.22 IMP 22.39

$12.98 MX$227

132.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 IMP 79.0

$53.1 MX$929

100.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.62 IMP 7.13

$9.72 MX$170

-1.03%

Cappuccino

$5.27 IMP 3.91

$3.75 MX$65.6

40.53%

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

$2.71 IMP 2.01

$1.57 MX$27.46

72.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 IMP 1.42

$1.13 MX$19.76

69.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.86 IMP 5.08

$3.18 MX$55.7

115.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 IMP 4.48

$4.66 MX$81.6

29.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 IMP 1.50

$1.62 MX$28.37

24.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 IMP 1.43

$2.71 MX$47.36

-28.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 IMP 1.44

$1.88 MX$32.89

3.72%

Eggs

$4.38 IMP 3.25

$2.51 MX$43.90

74.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 IMP 4.88

$10.08 MX$176

-34.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 IMP 6.01

$8.29 MX$145

-2.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.59 IMP 8.59

$11.94 MX$209

-2.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 IMP 1.80

$2.86 MX$50.1

-15.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 IMP 1.31

$1.75 MX$30.62

1.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 IMP 1.90

$2.08 MX$36.48

23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 IMP 2.10

$1.97 MX$34.46

44.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 IMP 1.74

$2.16 MX$37.79

8.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 IMP 1.92

$2.18 MX$38.16

18.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 IMP 1.23

$1.39 MX$24.34

19.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 IMP 1.51

$1.12 MX$19.69

82.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.74 IMP 16.85

$4.20 MX$73.5

441.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 IMP 9.15

$14.25 MX$249

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.11 IMP 3.04

$1.76 MX$30.85

133.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 IMP 2.82

$3.68 MX$64.5

3.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 IMP 2.24

$0.39 MX$6.74

674.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.9 IMP 57.0

$18.66 MX$327

311.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 IMP 3.82

$1.39 MX$24.26

270.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IMP 1.09

$0.30 MX$5.32

390.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.8 IMP 61.3

$5.42 MX$94.9

1426.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 IMP 1.66

$1.35 MX$23.63

66.67%

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

$35.2K IMP 26.0K

$18.9K MX$330.5K

86.15%

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

$35.0K IMP 26.0K

$23.2K MX$405.2K

51.29%

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

$305 IMP 226

$40.82 MX$714

647.48%

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

$37.92 IMP 28.10

$27.50 MX$481

37.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 IMP 52.9

$30.38 MX$532

135.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.1 IMP 46.73

$53.4 MX$935

18.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.32 IMP 15.06

$26.30 MX$460

-22.74%

Cinema Ticket

$13.69 IMP 10.15

$6.27 MX$110

118.34%

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

$1,325 IMP 982

$436 MX$7,632

203.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.2K IMP 23.9K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

207.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 IMP 71.9

$56.8 MX$993

70.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.24 IMP 31.30

$44.79 MX$784

-5.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 IMP 91.1

$103 MX$1,799

19.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 IMP 56.9

$108 MX$1,888

-28.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 IMP 891

$1,000 MX$17.5K

20.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 IMP 805

$620 MX$10.9K

75.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,131 IMP 1,579

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-0.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 IMP 1,433

$1,235 MX$21.6K

56.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,151 IMP 3,076

$3,865 MX$67.6K

7.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,219 IMP 2,385

$2,332 MX$40.8K

38.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,263 IMP 2,418

$1,067 MX$18.7K

205.74%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,202 in Douglas and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 206% 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: $107 in Douglas vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $286 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 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Douglas pays 206% 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: $1,202 in Douglas versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,524 per month in Douglas versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 312% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,524 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 70% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.