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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,869 in Hamilton versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,967 in Hamilton versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,066 in Hamilton versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 26% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 40% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.89 NZ$23.61

$12.98 MX$226

7.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 NZ$145

$53.1 MX$923

60.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 NZ$15.07

$9.72 MX$169

-8.85%

Cappuccino

$3.69 NZ$6.27

$3.75 MX$65.2

-1.60%

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

$2.41 NZ$4.10

$1.57 MX$27.30

53.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 NZ$4.90

$1.13 MX$19.64

154.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.73 NZ$11.43

$3.18 MX$55.3

111.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 NZ$10.19

$4.66 MX$81.1

28.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 NZ$2.71

$1.62 MX$28.21

-1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 NZ$2.22

$2.71 MX$47.09

-52.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.29

$1.88 MX$32.70

3.19%

Eggs

$6.04 NZ$10.27

$2.51 MX$43.65

140.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.65 NZ$9.61

$10.08 MX$175

-43.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.19 NZ$13.92

$8.29 MX$144

-1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.21 NZ$19.05

$11.94 MX$208

-6.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 NZ$4.56

$2.86 MX$49.77

-6.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NZ$5.03

$1.75 MX$30.45

69.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.18

$2.08 MX$36.27

46.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 NZ$11.03

$1.97 MX$34.27

229.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 NZ$3.84

$2.16 MX$37.58

4.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.24

$2.18 MX$37.94

-12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 NZ$4.62

$1.39 MX$24.20

95.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 NZ$1.76

$1.12 MX$19.57

-8.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.68 NZ$43.66

$4.20 MX$73.1

511.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 NZ$19.04

$14.25 MX$248

-21.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 NZ$5.87

$1.76 MX$30.68

96.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 NZ$7.51

$3.68 MX$64.1

20.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 NZ$2.77

$0.39 MX$6.71

317.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.48 NZ$80.7

$18.66 MX$325

154.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 NZ$7.23

$1.39 MX$24.12

205.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 NZ$3.37

$0.30 MX$5.29

560.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.54 NZ$72.3

$5.42 MX$94.3

684.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.92

$1.35 MX$23.50

27.41%

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

$23.4K NZ$39.8K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

23.86%

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

$22.6K NZ$38.4K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

-2.44%

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

$93.9 NZ$160

$40.82 MX$710

130.08%

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

$39.03 NZ$66.4

$27.50 MX$479

41.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 NZ$92.1

$30.38 MX$529

78.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.44 NZ$55.2

$53.4 MX$930

-39.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 NZ$27.95

$26.30 MX$458

-37.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 NZ$22.74

$6.27 MX$109

113.40%

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

$835 NZ$1,419

$436 MX$7,588

91.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K NZ$30.5K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

71.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 NZ$107

$56.8 MX$988

10.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 NZ$69.7

$44.79 MX$779

-8.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 NZ$150

$103 MX$1,789

-14.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 NZ$194

$108 MX$1,878

5.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 NZ$1,629

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-4.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$878 NZ$1,492

$620 MX$10.8K

41.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,249 NZ$2,123

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-41.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 NZ$2,746

$1,235 MX$21.5K

30.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,675 NZ$9,647

$3,865 MX$67.3K

46.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,916 NZ$8,358

$2,332 MX$40.6K

110.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,673 NZ$4,545

$1,067 MX$18.6K

150.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

11.34

-39.77%

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

Last update for Hamilton: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $958 in Hamilton and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 150% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Hamilton vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $311 vs $286 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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

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

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Hamilton pays 150% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $958 in Hamilton versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $85.0 in Hamilton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,869 per month in Hamilton versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,869 in Hamilton, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hamilton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Hamilton and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.