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 $680 per month in Elmina vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,160 per month in Elmina vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,640 per month in Elmina vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Elmina is about 59% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Elmina sits 50% below the global median, while Mexico City is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.14 GHS 92.0

$12.11 MX$205

-32.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 GHS 604

$52.2 MX$883

2.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 GHS 122

$10.90 MX$184

-0.83%

Cappuccino

$4.72 GHS 53.3

$4.05 MX$68.5

16.54%

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

$1.65 GHS 18.66

$1.72 MX$29.00

-4.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 GHS 5.48

$1.38 MX$23.29

-64.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 GHS 21.01

$3.47 MX$58.6

-46.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 GHS 25.65

$5.81 MX$98.2

-60.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.81 GHS 43.11

$1.85 MX$31.33

105.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 GHS 20.34

$3.22 MX$54.5

-44.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 GHS 35.48

$2.09 MX$35.25

50.24%

Eggs

$2.71 GHS 30.61

$2.91 MX$49.18

-6.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 GHS 142

$12.49 MX$211

0.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 GHS 84.6

$10.11 MX$171

-25.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.26 GHS 116

$15.89 MX$269

-35.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 GHS 42.55

$3.31 MX$56.0

13.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 GHS 16.63

$2.13 MX$35.95

-30.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 GHS 21.06

$2.19 MX$37.03

-15.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 GHS 42.42

$2.45 MX$41.37

53.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 GHS 31.80

$2.19 MX$37.00

28.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 GHS 30.84

$1.90 MX$32.20

43.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 GHS 8.78

$1.62 MX$27.31

-51.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 GHS 6.95

$1.35 MX$22.82

-54.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 GHS 29.23

$5.43 MX$91.7

-52.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.16 GHS 80.9

$17.59 MX$297

-59.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 GHS 14.93

$2.07 MX$34.96

-36.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 GHS 27.75

$4.75 MX$80.2

-48.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 GHS 19.53

$2.04 MX$34.49

-15.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 GHS 14.59

$0.58 MX$9.77

122.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 GHS 49.50

$5.97 MX$101

-26.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 GHS 15.73

$1.62 MX$27.31

-14.20%

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

$8,005 GHS 90.5K

$22.8K MX$385.6K

-64.91%

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

$10.3K GHS 116.0K

$26.7K MX$450.7K

-61.49%

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

$74.0 GHS 836

$65.2 MX$1,103

13.35%

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

$19.52 GHS 221

$29.87 MX$505

-34.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.23 GHS 489

$36.55 MX$618

18.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 GHS 148

$6.85 MX$116

91.24%

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

$468 GHS 5,294

$453 MX$7,664

3.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K GHS 208.8K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

38.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.64 GHS 165

$75.0 MX$1,267

-80.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.45 GHS 220

$55.3 MX$935

-64.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.21 GHS 420

$114 MX$1,920

-67.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 GHS 621

$123 MX$2,073

-55.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.75

11.3

136.73%

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

Last update for Elmina: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Elmina versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $290 in Elmina vs $345 in Mexico City – so Elmina wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 142%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,021 per month in Elmina and $2,469 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 $53.0 in Elmina and $52.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $680, than in Mexico City at $1,646. 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.