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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $526 per month in Elmina vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $905 per month in Elmina vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,284 per month in Elmina vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Elmina is about 64% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Elmina sits 61% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 GHS 51.4

$13.07 MX$229

-65.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.28 GHS 558

$53.8 MX$943

-10.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 GHS 90.0

$9.68 MX$170

-19.52%

Cappuccino

$3.54 GHS 40.94

$3.74 MX$65.6

-5.35%

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

$0.92 GHS 10.68

$1.62 MX$28.34

-43.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 GHS 3.96

$1.16 MX$20.37

-70.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 GHS 18.20

$3.23 MX$56.6

-51.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 GHS 28.60

$4.74 MX$83.1

-47.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.47 GHS 40.09

$1.65 MX$28.89

110.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 GHS 16.80

$2.75 MX$48.30

-47.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 GHS 27.33

$1.87 MX$32.87

26.74%

Eggs

$2.40 GHS 27.70

$2.50 MX$43.86

-4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 GHS 128

$10.20 MX$179

8.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 GHS 52.4

$8.25 MX$145

-44.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.82 GHS 67.2

$11.82 MX$207

-50.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 GHS 33.62

$3.01 MX$52.8

-3.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 GHS 16.13

$1.81 MX$31.77

-22.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 GHS 19.69

$2.00 MX$35.07

-14.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 GHS 37.02

$2.00 MX$35.00

60.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 GHS 34.64

$2.08 MX$36.56

44.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 GHS 28.15

$2.27 MX$39.85

7.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 GHS 8.69

$1.46 MX$25.55

-48.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 GHS 5.61

$1.08 MX$18.88

-54.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.65 GHS 19.05

$4.35 MX$76.3

-62.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 GHS 85.8

$16.99 MX$298

-56.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 GHS 12.85

$1.73 MX$30.40

-35.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 GHS 22.64

$3.58 MX$62.7

-45.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 GHS 18.65

$1.33 MX$23.25

21.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 GHS 13.54

$0.28 MX$4.91

317.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 GHS 63.2

$5.25 MX$92.1

4.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 GHS 12.59

$1.34 MX$23.44

-18.66%

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

$8,156 GHS 94.2K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

-57.98%

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

$9,546 GHS 110.3K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-59.94%

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

$56.5 GHS 652

$40.69 MX$714

38.73%

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

$13.33 GHS 154

$26.87 MX$471

-50.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.32 GHS 443

$30.51 MX$535

25.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 GHS 115

$6.51 MX$114

52.38%

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

$71.4 GHS 825

$428 MX$7,508

-83.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,919 GHS 91.5K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-24.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.66 GHS 169

$57.3 MX$1,004

-74.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.23 GHS 222

$45.50 MX$798

-57.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.80 GHS 333

$104 MX$1,825

-72.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.81 GHS 483

$108 MX$1,891

-61.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

11.34

123.99%

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

Last update for Elmina: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Elmina versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $292 – making Elmina 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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 177%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $789 per month in Elmina and $2,185 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Elmina and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Elmina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elmina – 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 Elmina. 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.