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 $909 per month in Elbasan vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,431 per month in Elbasan vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,953 per month in Elbasan vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Elbasan is about 45% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Elbasan sits 34% below the global median, while Mexico City is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.89 ALL 784

$11.92 MX$205

-17.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.18 ALL 3,026

$51.6 MX$889

-26.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 ALL 553

$11.41 MX$197

-38.91%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ALL 138

$3.99 MX$68.8

-56.39%

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

$1.42 ALL 112

$1.66 MX$28.58

-14.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ALL 55.7

$1.33 MX$22.85

-47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ALL 176

$3.47 MX$59.8

-36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ALL 228

$5.90 MX$102

-51.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ALL 157

$1.88 MX$32.32

5.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ALL 78.7

$3.25 MX$56.1

-69.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ALL 128

$2.16 MX$37.23

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.78 ALL 221

$2.90 MX$49.89

-4.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 ALL 825

$12.86 MX$221

-19.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 ALL 472

$10.05 MX$173

-40.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 ALL 912

$15.86 MX$273

-27.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 101

$3.29 MX$56.8

-61.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 ALL 179

$2.01 MX$34.56

12.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ALL 112

$2.20 MX$37.89

-35.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ALL 88.7

$2.36 MX$40.58

-52.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ALL 83.4

$2.05 MX$35.39

-48.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ALL 84.6

$1.90 MX$32.76

-43.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 ALL 63.8

$1.61 MX$27.65

-49.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ALL 53.1

$1.40 MX$24.06

-52.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ALL 359

$5.46 MX$94.1

-17.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 ALL 650

$17.65 MX$304

-53.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ALL 85.7

$2.06 MX$35.40

-47.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ALL 149

$4.68 MX$80.7

-59.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 38.21

$0.34 MX$5.83

41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.37 ALL 1,614

$20.81 MX$358

-2.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ALL 301

$2.10 MX$36.12

80.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ALL 122

$0.56 MX$9.63

175.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.22 ALL 1,207

$5.81 MX$100

161.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 ALL 173

$1.61 MX$27.66

35.40%

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

$30.3K ALL 2.4M

$22.8K MX$393.4K

32.60%

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

$30.5K ALL 2.4M

$26.8K MX$460.8K

14.14%

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

$61.7 ALL 4,890

$65.2 MX$1,123

-5.34%

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

$15.59 ALL 1,236

$30.09 MX$518

-48.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.04 ALL 954

$37.18 MX$640

-67.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 ALL 4,746

$59.8 MX$1,029

0.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 ALL 1,371

$26.55 MX$457

-34.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 ALL 343

$7.04 MX$121

-38.49%

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

$147 ALL 11.7K

$465 MX$8,003

-68.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,867 ALL 148.0K

$13.3K MX$228.6K

-85.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ALL 6,058

$75.9 MX$1,307

0.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 ALL 3,635

$56.0 MX$964

-18.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 ALL 7,749

$112 MX$1,927

-12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 ALL 7,808

$121 MX$2,076

-18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ALL 24.2K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-72.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ALL 16.3K

$721 MX$12.4K

-71.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ALL 35.3K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-82.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ALL 25.7K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-74.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,392 ALL 110.3K

$3,991 MX$68.7K

-65.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$895 ALL 70.9K

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-57.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$559 ALL 44.3K

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-46.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

11.3

-46.02%

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

Last update for Elbasan: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $306 in Elbasan versus $1,103 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 86% 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 $38.00 in Elbasan versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $345 – 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 83%, 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 $1,364 per month in Elbasan and $2,489 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 60% 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 $38.00 in Elbasan and $52.0 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 $909, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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.