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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Hastings vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,261 per month in Hastings vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Hastings vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Hastings is about 2% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Hastings and Mexico City sit above the global median – Hastings by 7%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.19 NZ$20.59

$13.18 MX$228

-7.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 NZ$137

$53.9 MX$932

51.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 NZ$15.40

$9.42 MX$163

-3.18%

Cappuccino

$3.47 NZ$5.86

$3.55 MX$61.4

-2.25%

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

$1.78 NZ$3.01

$1.62 MX$27.98

9.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 NZ$3.50

$1.11 MX$19.27

86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 NZ$10.06

$3.12 MX$54.0

91.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 NZ$12.33

$4.63 MX$80.1

57.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 NZ$3.19

$1.70 MX$29.43

11.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 NZ$3.52

$2.72 MX$47.02

-23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.30

$1.91 MX$33.07

2.62%

Eggs

$6.12 NZ$10.33

$2.54 MX$43.86

140.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 NZ$13.93

$10.03 MX$174

-17.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.08 NZ$18.70

$8.09 MX$140

36.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 NZ$21.48

$11.62 MX$201

9.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 NZ$4.60

$2.97 MX$51.3

-8.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.61

$1.81 MX$31.24

18.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.04

$2.01 MX$34.82

48.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.13

$2.03 MX$35.20

136.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.19

$2.12 MX$36.75

-10.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 NZ$2.50

$2.27 MX$39.25

-34.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 NZ$3.70

$1.40 MX$24.22

56.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 NZ$1.73

$1.13 MX$19.55

-9.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.43 NZ$36.17

$4.27 MX$73.9

401.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 NZ$16.09

$15.56 MX$269

-38.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 NZ$6.08

$1.76 MX$30.39

104.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 NZ$4.84

$3.60 MX$62.2

-20.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 NZ$4.26

$0.38 MX$6.62

563.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 NZ$103

$19.18 MX$332

218.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.49

$1.38 MX$23.79

92.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.11

$0.28 MX$4.78

557.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.0 NZ$101

$5.45 MX$94.2

1000.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.92

$1.30 MX$22.55

33.08%

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

$30.9K NZ$52.1K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

65.20%

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

$21.4K NZ$36.1K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-7.49%

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

$159 NZ$269

$40.86 MX$707

289.38%

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

$33.64 NZ$56.8

$26.81 MX$464

25.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 NZ$87.5

$29.96 MX$518

72.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.57 NZ$60.1

$52.0 MX$900

-31.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.91 NZ$20.11

$26.84 MX$464

-55.63%

Cinema Ticket

$10.89 NZ$18.39

$6.30 MX$109

72.86%

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

$798 NZ$1,347

$436 MX$7,544

82.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NZ$21.9K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

24.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 NZ$108

$56.7 MX$980

12.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 NZ$87.9

$44.38 MX$768

17.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 NZ$192

$103 MX$1,780

10.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 NZ$230

$106 MX$1,825

29.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 NZ$680

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-60.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 NZ$581

$631 MX$10.9K

-45.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 NZ$1,805

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-49.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 NZ$1,007

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-52.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,661 NZ$2,804

$1,115 MX$19.3K

48.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

11.34

-38.80%

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

Last update for Hastings: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Hastings versus $1,022 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 49% higher in Hastings, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Hastings versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $288 – making Mexico City 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

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

Mexico City costs about 2% more than Hastings, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,157 per month in Hastings and $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hastings, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Mexico City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Hastings and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hastings, where all-in costs run around $1,438, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Hastings it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hastings costs $1,438 versus $1,467 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hastings. 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.