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: $2,752 in Douglas versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,183 in Douglas versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,614 in Douglas versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Douglas is roughly 66% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Douglas 101% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.84 IMP 21.40

$11.92 MX$206

141.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 IMP 91.4

$51.6 MX$890

138.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 IMP 8.97

$11.41 MX$197

5.96%

Cappuccino

$5.18 IMP 3.84

$3.99 MX$68.9

29.82%

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

$2.84 IMP 2.11

$1.66 MX$28.61

71.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IMP 1.59

$1.33 MX$22.87

60.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.74 IMP 5.00

$3.47 MX$59.9

94.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 IMP 4.47

$5.90 MX$102

2.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 IMP 1.93

$1.88 MX$32.36

38.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 IMP 2.04

$3.25 MX$56.1

-15.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 IMP 1.60

$2.16 MX$37.26

Eggs

$5.52 IMP 4.10

$2.90 MX$49.94

90.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 IMP 6.22

$12.86 MX$222

-34.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 IMP 6.67

$10.05 MX$173

-10.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 IMP 9.71

$15.86 MX$273

-17.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 IMP 2.23

$3.29 MX$56.8

-8.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 IMP 1.34

$2.01 MX$34.60

-9.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 IMP 2.83

$2.20 MX$37.93

73.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 IMP 2.68

$2.36 MX$40.63

52.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 IMP 2.31

$2.05 MX$35.43

52.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 IMP 2.28

$1.90 MX$32.79

62.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 IMP 1.61

$1.61 MX$27.68

35.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 IMP 2.03

$1.40 MX$24.09

95.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.18 IMP 17.20

$5.46 MX$94.2

324.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.25 IMP 9.09

$17.65 MX$304

-30.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.47 IMP 3.31

$2.06 MX$35.44

116.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 IMP 3.32

$4.68 MX$80.8

-4.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 IMP 2.17

$0.34 MX$5.84

761.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.3 IMP 72.9

$20.81 MX$359

372.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 IMP 3.92

$2.10 MX$36.15

151.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 IMP 1.12

$0.56 MX$9.64

169.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.1 IMP 59.4

$5.81 MX$100

1278.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 IMP 1.46

$1.61 MX$27.68

22.36%

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

$45.7K IMP 33.9K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

100.11%

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

$44.9K IMP 33.3K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

67.90%

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

$357 IMP 265

$65.2 MX$1,124

447.74%

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

$63.0 IMP 46.76

$30.09 MX$519

109.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.6 IMP 56.1

$37.18 MX$641

103.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 IMP 48.70

$59.8 MX$1,030

9.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.92 IMP 14.78

$26.55 MX$458

-24.97%

Cinema Ticket

$16.24 IMP 12.05

$7.04 MX$121

130.68%

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

$1,798 IMP 1,334

$465 MX$8,012

286.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$53.0K IMP 39.3K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

299.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 IMP 74.4

$75.9 MX$1,308

32.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.53 IMP 34.53

$56.0 MX$965

-16.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 IMP 86.1

$112 MX$1,929

3.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 IMP 53.6

$121 MX$2,078

-40.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 IMP 940

$1,103 MX$19.0K

14.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 IMP 820

$721 MX$12.4K

53.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,349 IMP 1,743

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-7.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,068 IMP 1,535

$1,293 MX$22.3K

59.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,063 IMP 3,757

$3,991 MX$68.8K

26.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,958 IMP 2,937

$2,090 MX$36.0K

89.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 IMP 2,269

$1,037 MX$17.9K

194.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.76

11.3

-57.88%

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

Last update for Douglas: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,267 in Douglas and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 195% 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: $123 in Douglas vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $345 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 195% higher in Douglas, 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: $1,267 in Douglas versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,752 per month in Douglas versus $1,660 in Mexico City – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 372% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,752 in Douglas, a $3,000 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 66% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.