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 $916 per month in Elbasan vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,471 per month in Elbasan vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,026 per month in Elbasan vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Elbasan is about 38% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Elbasan sits 32% below the global median, while Mexico City is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.24 ALL 754

$12.98 MX$227

-28.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.89 ALL 2,604

$53.1 MX$929

-39.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 ALL 586

$9.72 MX$170

-26.13%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ALL 147

$3.75 MX$65.6

-52.00%

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

$1.27 ALL 103

$1.57 MX$27.46

-19.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ALL 55.4

$1.13 MX$19.76

-39.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 ALL 142

$3.18 MX$55.7

-45.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ALL 194

$4.66 MX$81.6

-49.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ALL 150

$1.62 MX$28.37

13.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ALL 74.9

$2.71 MX$47.36

-66.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ALL 128

$1.88 MX$32.89

-17.02%

Eggs

$2.91 ALL 238

$2.51 MX$43.90

15.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 ALL 798

$10.08 MX$176

-3.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 ALL 436

$8.29 MX$145

-35.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 ALL 1,013

$11.94 MX$209

3.94%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 ALL 74.5

$2.86 MX$50.1

-68.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$1.75 MX$30.62

35.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ALL 103

$2.08 MX$36.48

-39.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 ALL 73.1

$1.97 MX$34.46

-54.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ALL 75.3

$2.16 MX$37.79

-57.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ALL 88.8

$2.18 MX$38.16

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ALL 80.3

$1.39 MX$24.34

-29.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ALL 49.04

$1.12 MX$19.69

-46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ALL 326

$4.20 MX$73.5

-5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 ALL 672

$14.25 MX$249

-42.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ALL 75.4

$1.76 MX$30.85

-47.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ALL 119

$3.68 MX$64.5

-60.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.64

$0.39 MX$6.74

15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 ALL 1,523

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ALL 294

$1.39 MX$24.26

158.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ALL 105

$0.30 MX$5.32

330.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.36 ALL 1,173

$5.42 MX$94.9

164.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 172

$1.35 MX$23.63

56.30%

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

$21.0K ALL 1.7M

$18.9K MX$330.5K

11.37%

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

$27.5K ALL 2.2M

$23.2K MX$405.2K

18.82%

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

$67.2 ALL 5,487

$40.82 MX$714

64.65%

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

$17.26 ALL 1,409

$27.50 MX$481

-37.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.29 ALL 1,248

$30.38 MX$532

-49.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 ALL 5,359

$53.4 MX$935

22.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 ALL 1,336

$26.30 MX$460

-37.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 ALL 443

$6.27 MX$110

-13.40%

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

$139 ALL 11.4K

$436 MX$7,632

-68.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,789 ALL 146.1K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-82.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ALL 8,511

$56.8 MX$993

83.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.21 ALL 2,793

$44.79 MX$784

-23.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 ALL 7,660

$103 MX$1,799

-8.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$180 ALL 14.7K

$108 MX$1,888

66.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 ALL 23.6K

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-71.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ALL 16.2K

$620 MX$10.9K

-68.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 ALL 34.4K

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-80.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ALL 24.5K

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-75.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,362 ALL 111.2K

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-64.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$847 ALL 69.1K

$2,332 MX$40.8K

-63.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$550 ALL 44.9K

$1,067 MX$18.7K

-48.42%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $289 in Elbasan versus $1,000 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 94% 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: $207 vs $286 – 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 62%, 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 $1,374 per month in Elbasan and $2,225 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 38% 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 $916, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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.