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: $2,515 in Douglas versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,823 in Douglas versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,131 in Douglas versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Douglas is roughly 71% more expensive than in 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

$30.49 IMP 22.65

$13.14 MX$227

132.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 IMP 80.2

$53.5 MX$926

101.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 IMP 7.58

$9.33 MX$161

9.32%

Cappuccino

$5.32 IMP 3.96

$3.70 MX$64.0

43.78%

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

$2.81 IMP 2.09

$1.60 MX$27.76

75.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 IMP 1.46

$1.12 MX$19.34

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.49 IMP 4.82

$3.14 MX$54.3

106.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.23 IMP 4.63

$4.85 MX$83.9

28.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 IMP 1.47

$1.65 MX$28.61

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 IMP 1.49

$2.71 MX$46.96

-26.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 IMP 1.50

$1.91 MX$33.03

5.76%

Eggs

$4.35 IMP 3.23

$2.59 MX$44.81

67.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 IMP 5.11

$9.81 MX$170

-29.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 IMP 6.21

$8.43 MX$146

-0.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.69 IMP 8.69

$11.93 MX$206

-2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 IMP 1.75

$2.95 MX$51.1

-20.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 IMP 1.33

$1.74 MX$30.10

2.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 IMP 1.96

$2.04 MX$35.38

29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 IMP 2.17

$2.06 MX$35.64

41.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 IMP 1.75

$2.15 MX$37.20

9.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 IMP 1.88

$2.26 MX$39.02

11.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 IMP 1.23

$1.39 MX$23.97

19.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 IMP 1.48

$1.12 MX$19.31

78.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.45 IMP 16.68

$4.22 MX$73.0

431.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 IMP 8.88

$17.51 MX$303

-31.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.10 IMP 3.04

$1.71 MX$29.58

139.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 IMP 2.77

$3.63 MX$62.8

2.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 IMP 2.27

$0.35 MX$6.10

771.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.1 IMP 56.6

$19.32 MX$334

293.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 IMP 3.79

$1.38 MX$23.80

269.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IMP 1.13

$0.28 MX$4.77

446.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.1 IMP 59.5

$5.28 MX$91.3

1417.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 IMP 1.59

$1.36 MX$23.50

57.35%

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

$34.7K IMP 25.8K

$19.1K MX$330.5K

81.64%

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

$36.0K IMP 26.7K

$23.6K MX$408.4K

52.30%

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

$302 IMP 224

$40.53 MX$701

644.02%

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

$37.77 IMP 28.06

$27.38 MX$474

37.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 IMP 52.2

$30.38 MX$526

131.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 IMP 46.83

$52.2 MX$903

20.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.53 IMP 15.25

$26.48 MX$458

-22.47%

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 IMP 10.21

$6.19 MX$107

121.97%

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

$1,315 IMP 977

$425 MX$7,355

209.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K IMP 23.4K

$10.7K MX$185.7K

193.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.3 IMP 70.1

$58.3 MX$1,009

61.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 IMP 30.98

$44.57 MX$771

-6.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 IMP 90.9

$103 MX$1,791

18.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 IMP 58.7

$109 MX$1,881

-27.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 IMP 921

$1,014 MX$17.5K

22.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 IMP 816

$623 MX$10.8K

76.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 IMP 1,599

$2,119 MX$36.7K

1.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,901 IMP 1,412

$1,223 MX$21.2K

55.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,071 IMP 3,025

$3,792 MX$65.6K

7.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,142 IMP 2,334

$2,110 MX$36.5K

48.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,964 IMP 2,202

$1,052 MX$18.2K

181.68%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,240 in Douglas and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 182% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $293 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 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 182% 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: $1,240 in Douglas versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,515 per month in Douglas versus $1,472 in Mexico City – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 294% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $2,515 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 71% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.