Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $3,005 in Hong Kong, rent and utilities included – about $17,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

145

Cost of Living Index in Hong Kong
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Hong Kong Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Hong Kong

🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)

$3,005

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hong Kong and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hong Kong and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,005 per month in Hong Kong vs $1,548 in Mexico City, rent included.

Hong Kong $3,005
Mexico City $1,548

A couple spends around $4,643 per month in Hong Kong vs $2,436 in Mexico City, rent included.

Hong Kong $4,643
Mexico City $2,436

A family of three spends $6,281 per month in Hong Kong vs $3,323 in Mexico City, rent included.

Hong Kong $6,281
Mexico City $3,323

Hong Kong costs about 94% more than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hong Kong and Mexico City sit above the global median – Hong Kong by 122%, Mexico City by 14%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.80 HK$61.2

$11.02 MX$204

-29.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.7 HK$508

$48.68 MX$900

32.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 HK$48.97

$10.90 MX$201

-42.75%

Cappuccino

$5.01 HK$39.34

$3.68 MX$68.1

36.14%

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

$1.29 HK$10.12

$1.63 MX$30.18

-20.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 HK$8.74

$1.25 MX$23.07

-11.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 HK$61.0

$3.25 MX$60.1

139.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.41 HK$50.3

$5.53 MX$102

15.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.90 HK$22.79

$1.70 MX$31.50

70.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 HK$18.29

$3.02 MX$55.8

-22.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 HK$17.51

$1.92 MX$35.53

16.15%

Eggs

$3.45 HK$27.04

$2.73 MX$50.5

26.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.96 HK$196

$11.77 MX$218

112.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.79 HK$69.0

$9.53 MX$176

-7.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.71 HK$139

$14.41 MX$266

22.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 HK$32.59

$3.02 MX$55.8

37.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 HK$20.62

$1.89 MX$35.01

39.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 HK$35.65

$1.99 MX$36.70

128.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 HK$32.08

$2.19 MX$40.38

86.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 HK$25.25

$1.92 MX$35.43

67.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 HK$25.56

$1.87 MX$34.49

74.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 HK$12.94

$1.44 MX$26.62

14.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 HK$13.62

$1.27 MX$23.39

37.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.45 HK$106

$5.22 MX$96.4

157.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.16 HK$119

$16.17 MX$299

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 HK$15.44

$1.90 MX$35.03

3.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 HK$17.42

$4.22 MX$78.0

-47.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 HK$10.04

$0.34 MX$6.30

276.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.1 HK$707

$19.65 MX$363

358.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 HK$28.84

$2.00 MX$36.90

83.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 HK$10.60

$0.52 MX$9.67

159.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.21 HK$127

$5.34 MX$98.7

203.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$4.20 HK$32.94

$1.52 MX$28.13

176.32%

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

$44.9K HK$352.2K

$22.1K MX$408.0K

103.28%

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

$36.8K HK$288.9K

$24.5K MX$452.9K

50.21%

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

$238 HK$1,865

$61.1 MX$1,129

289.05%

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

$15.70 HK$123

$28.58 MX$528

-45.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.91 HK$172

$34.47 MX$637

-36.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.1 HK$715

$56.4 MX$1,042

61.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.14 HK$71.8

$24.88 MX$460

-63.26%

Cinema Ticket

$12.96 HK$102

$6.66 MX$123

94.59%

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

$1,172 HK$9,201

$427 MX$7,891

174.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K HK$174.2K

$11.6K MX$215.0K

90.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 HK$533

$67.8 MX$1,253

0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.57 HK$342

$52.0 MX$960

-16.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 HK$652

$106 MX$1,959

-21.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 HK$963

$113 MX$2,080

9.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,255 HK$17.7K

$1,025 MX$18.9K

120.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,752 HK$13.7K

$654 MX$12.1K

167.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,173 HK$40.6K

$2,308 MX$42.7K

124.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,543 HK$27.8K

$1,242 MX$22.9K

185.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.3K HK$229.7K

$3,613 MX$66.8K

710.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$17.5K HK$137.1K

$1,936 MX$35.8K

802.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,285 HK$25.8K

$964 MX$17.8K

240.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

11.3

-66.46%

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

Last update for Hong Kong: October 17, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Hong Kong

$1.8K 58.3%

Mexico City

$654 42.3% 62.7% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Hong Kong

$410 13.7%

Mexico City

$318 20.6% 22.5% $92

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hong Kong

$275 9.2%

Mexico City

$124 8% 54.9% $151

Eating Out

Hong Kong

$203 6.7%

Mexico City

$204 13.2% 0.7% $1.3

Clothing & Footwear

Hong Kong

$143 4.8%

Mexico City

$152 9.8% 6.6% $9.5

Sport & Entertainment

Hong Kong

$117 3.9%

Mexico City

$70 4.5% 40.5% $47

Getting Around

Hong Kong

$106 3.5%

Mexico City

$26 1.7% 75.7% $80

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,255 in Hong Kong versus $1,025 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 241% higher in Hong Kong, 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 $65.0 in Hong Kong versus $49.00 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 vs $318 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇰 Hong Kong

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

12:14 12:14 PM

22:14 10:14 PM

14 h behind Hong Kong

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,367,900 Capital

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Hong Kong Dollar HKD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 HKD = 0.127 USD

1 HKD = 0.113 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to HKD – Hong Kong Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇰 Hong Kong Dollar ($)

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 7.85 HKD (1 HKD = 0.127 USD). 1 EUR = 8.82 HKD (1 HKD = 0.113 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to HKD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Hong Kong Mexico City 14,130 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Hong Kong
Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Hong Kong vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,005 in Hong Kong, $1,548 in Mexico City – roughly 94% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,508 per month in Hong Kong and $2,322 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Hong Kong and $49.00 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,005 in Hong Kong and $1,548 in Mexico City. That's a gap of about 94%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,548, than in Hong Kong at $3,005. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hong Kong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Hong Kong has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,548 in Mexico City to $3,005 in Hong Kong. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hong Kong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.