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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Glasgow vs $1,677 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,721 per month in Glasgow vs $2,608 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,936 per month in Glasgow vs $3,540 in Mexico City, rent included.

Glasgow costs about 49% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Glasgow and Mexico City sit above the global median – Glasgow by 82%, Mexico City by 22%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Glasgow
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.77 £16.83
$12.14 MX$206
87.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 £49.91
$53.9 MX$916
25.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.67 £7.89
$11.09 MX$188
-3.79%
Cappuccino
$4.87 £3.60
$4.10 MX$69.6
18.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 £1.66
$1.68 MX$28.57
33.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 £1.33
$1.39 MX$23.58
29.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.81 £4.30
$3.33 MX$56.6
74.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.58 £4.86
$5.88 MX$99.9
11.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Glasgow
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 £1.27
$1.85 MX$31.45
-7.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 £1.06
$3.17 MX$53.9
-54.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 £1.49
$2.07 MX$35.18
-2.42%
Eggs
$3.74 £2.77
$2.93 MX$49.74
27.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.81 £7.25
$12.59 MX$214
-22.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.77 £7.22
$10.11 MX$172
-3.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.01 £14.06
$16.09 MX$273
18.15%
Apples (1kg)
$2.72 £2.01
$3.39 MX$57.6
-19.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 £1.22
$2.08 MX$35.31
-20.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.78 £2.06
$2.12 MX$36.02
31.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.10 £2.29
$2.41 MX$41.01
28.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 £1.38
$2.13 MX$36.17
-12.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.53 £1.13
$2.01 MX$34.07
-23.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 £0.86
$1.55 MX$26.25
-25.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 £1.22
$1.36 MX$23.19
21.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$24.11 £17.82
$5.77 MX$98.0
317.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.31 £8.36
$17.74 MX$301
-36.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.23 £2.39
$2.07 MX$35.16
56.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.26 £2.41
$4.61 MX$78.4
-29.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Glasgow
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.14 £3.06
$0.37 MX$6.21
1018.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$103 £76.2
$21.18 MX$360
386.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.87 £4.34
$2.05 MX$34.89
186.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.21 £0.90
$0.58 MX$9.80
108.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$62.4 £46.10
$6.07 MX$103
927.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.00 £1.48
$1.55 MX$26.38
29.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.1K £28.9K
$22.9K MX$388.6K
71.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.9K £30.2K
$27.2K MX$462.7K
50.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Glasgow
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$341 £252
$67.4 MX$1,145
405.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.52 £14.43
$30.62 MX$520
-36.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.78 £30.89
$37.24 MX$633
12.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Glasgow
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.22 £32.69
$61.5 MX$1,044
-28.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.92 £15.47
$27.12 MX$461
-22.86%
Cinema Ticket
$15.95 £11.79
$7.11 MX$121
124.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Glasgow
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$936 £692
$456 MX$7,750
105.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.2K £16.4K
$13.7K MX$232.6K
61.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Glasgow
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$140 £103
$74.2 MX$1,260
88.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.84 £34.63
$57.0 MX$969
-17.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 £75.5
$115 MX$1,961
-11.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 £67.6
$122 MX$2,064
-24.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Glasgow
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,387 £1,026
$1,148 MX$19.5K
20.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,079 £797
$709 MX$12.1K
52.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,747 £2,031
$2,577 MX$43.8K
6.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 £1,466
$1,295 MX$22.0K
53.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,242 £3,136
$4,005 MX$68.0K
5.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,167 £2,342
$2,130 MX$36.2K
48.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Glasgow
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,531 £2,611
$1,082 MX$18.4K
226.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.75
11.3
-57.96%

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

Last update for Glasgow: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,387 in Glasgow versus $1,148 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 226% higher in Glasgow, 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 $68.0 in Glasgow versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $318 in Glasgow vs $345 in Mexico City – so Glasgow 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
Glasgow vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Glasgow and in Mexico City compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,505 in Glasgow, $1,677 in Mexico City – roughly 49% apart. Glasgow costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Glasgow compared to Mexico City?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,757 per month in Glasgow and $2,515 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Glasgow and Mexico City?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Glasgow and Mexico City?
Kindergarten costs $936 per month in Glasgow and $456 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Glasgow – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,677, than in Glasgow at $2,505. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glasgow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Glasgow and Mexico City?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,677 in Mexico City to $2,505 in Glasgow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Glasgow and Mexico City?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Glasgow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Glasgow vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities