Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,052 per month in East London vs $1,447 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,572 per month in East London vs $2,310 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,092 per month in East London vs $3,174 in Mexico City, rent included.

East London is about 27% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

East London sits 22% below the global median, while Mexico City is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 R 110

$12.98 MX$223

-47.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.73 R 497

$52.6 MX$903

-41.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 R 71.9

$9.43 MX$162

-52.81%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R 32.73

$3.57 MX$61.3

-43.42%

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

$0.99 R 16.00

$1.61 MX$27.55

-38.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.23

$1.15 MX$19.81

-28.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 41.32

$3.15 MX$54.0

-18.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 R 50.6

$4.86 MX$83.4

-35.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R 17.13

$1.70 MX$29.17

-37.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 R 14.55

$2.64 MX$45.23

-65.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 R 32.85

$1.90 MX$32.67

6.84%

Eggs

$2.06 R 33.29

$2.54 MX$43.62

-18.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 R 151

$10.08 MX$173

-7.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 R 67.0

$8.29 MX$142

-49.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 R 120

$11.57 MX$199

-35.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.50

$3.03 MX$52.0

-49.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.47

$1.71 MX$29.35

24.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.19

$2.05 MX$35.16

-30.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.66

$2.06 MX$35.36

-29.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.32

$2.06 MX$35.43

-23.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 23.78

$2.17 MX$37.25

-32.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 16.97

$1.40 MX$24.08

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 14.88

$1.12 MX$19.26

-17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 R 42.36

$4.29 MX$73.7

-38.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.92 R 79.6

$15.41 MX$265

-68.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 R 27.71

$1.67 MX$28.74

2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 40.93

$3.69 MX$63.3

-31.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 R 11.82

$0.38 MX$6.55

92.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.78 R 352

$19.06 MX$327

14.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.29

$1.38 MX$23.70

-18.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.50

$0.28 MX$4.74

242.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.14 R 66.9

$5.42 MX$92.9

-23.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R 19.62

$1.28 MX$21.98

-5.47%

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

$37.0K R 598.3K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

94.99%

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

$22.2K R 359.6K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-5.20%

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

$196 R 3,172

$41.02 MX$704

378.38%

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

$30.20 R 488

$26.92 MX$462

12.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.54 R 720

$29.69 MX$510

50.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.44 R 541

$52.3 MX$898

-36.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.43 R 23.05

$26.23 MX$450

-94.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.60 R 58.2

$6.18 MX$106

-41.75%

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

$121 R 1,948

$427 MX$7,331

-71.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,276 R 69.1K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-60.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 R 838

$56.8 MX$975

-8.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.73 R 464

$44.83 MX$769

-35.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 R 1,724

$105 MX$1,794

2.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.4 R 1,380

$106 MX$1,819

-19.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 R 4,337

$995 MX$17.1K

-73.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 R 4,845

$621 MX$10.7K

-51.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 R 8,161

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-76.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 R 8,912

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-56.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,645 R 26.6K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

48.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-3.00%

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

Last update for East London: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in East London versus $995 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 49% higher in East London, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in East London versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $288 – making East London 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

East London vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,052 in East London, $1,447 in Mexico City – roughly 38% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,578 per month in East London and $2,171 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East London, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $121 per month in East London and $427 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in East London, where all-in costs run around $1,052, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In East London it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,052 in East London to $1,447 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with East London. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.