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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $919 per month in Elbasan vs $1,447 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,443 per month in Elbasan vs $2,310 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,967 per month in Elbasan vs $3,174 in Mexico City, rent included.

Elbasan is about 37% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Elbasan sits 32% below the global median, while Mexico City is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.64 ALL 787

$12.98 MX$223

-25.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.11 ALL 2,624

$52.6 MX$903

-38.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 ALL 589

$9.43 MX$162

-23.54%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ALL 146

$3.57 MX$61.3

-49.86%

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

$1.29 ALL 105

$1.61 MX$27.55

-19.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ALL 55.9

$1.15 MX$19.81

-40.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ALL 146

$3.15 MX$54.0

-43.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ALL 198

$4.86 MX$83.4

-50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ALL 150

$1.70 MX$29.17

8.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ALL 76.3

$2.64 MX$45.23

-64.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ALL 128

$1.90 MX$32.67

-17.89%

Eggs

$3.04 ALL 249

$2.54 MX$43.62

19.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 ALL 821

$10.08 MX$173

-0.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ALL 426

$8.29 MX$142

-37.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 ALL 992

$11.57 MX$199

4.93%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 ALL 69.5

$3.03 MX$52.0

-71.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 ALL 202

$1.71 MX$29.35

45.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ALL 102

$2.05 MX$35.16

-39.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 ALL 79.0

$2.06 MX$35.36

-52.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 ALL 78.1

$2.06 MX$35.43

-53.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ALL 88.8

$2.17 MX$37.25

-49.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ALL 73.5

$1.40 MX$24.08

-35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ALL 46.46

$1.12 MX$19.26

-49.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ALL 323

$4.29 MX$73.7

-7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 ALL 629

$15.41 MX$265

-50.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.6

$1.67 MX$28.74

-46.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ALL 123

$3.69 MX$63.3

-59.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.39

$0.38 MX$6.55

26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 ALL 1,567

$19.06 MX$327

0.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ALL 283

$1.38 MX$23.70

150.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 ALL 101

$0.28 MX$4.74

342.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ALL 1,136

$5.42 MX$92.9

156.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 172

$1.28 MX$21.98

64.84%

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

$21.0K ALL 1.7M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

10.82%

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

$27.2K ALL 2.2M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

15.76%

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

$68.5 ALL 5,596

$41.02 MX$704

66.97%

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

$17.59 ALL 1,437

$26.92 MX$462

-34.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.13 ALL 1,236

$29.69 MX$510

-49.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 ALL 5,392

$52.3 MX$898

26.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.22 ALL 1,325

$26.23 MX$450

-38.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ALL 469

$6.18 MX$106

-7.12%

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

$142 ALL 11.6K

$427 MX$7,331

-66.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,761 ALL 143.9K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-83.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.55 ALL 3,804

$56.8 MX$975

-18.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.60 ALL 2,827

$44.83 MX$769

-22.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 ALL 7,650

$105 MX$1,794

-10.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 ALL 14.5K

$106 MX$1,819

67.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 ALL 23.2K

$995 MX$17.1K

-71.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 ALL 16.0K

$621 MX$10.7K

-68.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ALL 34.5K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-80.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ALL 24.2K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-76.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,350 ALL 110.3K

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-65.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$862 ALL 70.5K

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-58.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 ALL 43.8K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-51.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

11.34

-46.21%

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

Last update for Elbasan: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Elbasan 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 107% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Elbasan versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $288 – making Elbasan 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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 57%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,378 per month in Elbasan 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 Elbasan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Elbasan and $53.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elbasan, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Elbasan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elbasan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Elbasan. 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.