Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Honolulu, HI and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $3,963 in Honolulu, HI, rent and utilities included – about $29,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

190

Cost of Living Index in Honolulu, HI
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Honolulu, HI Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Honolulu, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,963

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Honolulu, HI 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 Honolulu, HI and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,963 per month in Honolulu, HI vs $1,548 in Mexico City, rent included.

Honolulu, HI $3,963
Mexico City $1,548

A couple spends around $6,161 per month in Honolulu, HI vs $2,436 in Mexico City, rent included.

Honolulu, HI $6,161
Mexico City $2,436

A family of three spends $8,359 per month in Honolulu, HI vs $3,323 in Mexico City, rent included.

Honolulu, HI $8,359
Mexico City $3,323

Honolulu, HI costs about 156% more than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Honolulu, HI and Mexico City sit above the global median – Honolulu, HI by 193%, Mexico City by 14%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.50 $28.50

$11.02 MX$204

158.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$48.68 MX$900

193.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.25 $15.25

$10.90 MX$201

39.91%

Cappuccino

$10.44 $10.44

$3.68 MX$68.1

183.70%

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

$5.06 $5.06

$1.63 MX$30.18

210.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.25 MX$23.07

180.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.40 $10.40

$3.25 MX$60.1

220.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.66 $11.66

$5.53 MX$102

110.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.70 MX$31.50

28.82%

White Bread (500g)

$7.54 $7.54

$3.02 MX$55.8

149.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.02 $10.02

$1.92 MX$35.53

421.88%

Eggs

$8.50 $8.50

$2.73 MX$50.5

211.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.23 $28.23

$11.77 MX$218

139.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.21 $20.21

$9.53 MX$176

112.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.80 $21.80

$14.41 MX$266

51.28%

Apples (1kg)

$8.28 $8.28

$3.02 MX$55.8

174.17%

Banana (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$1.89 MX$35.01

183.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$1.99 MX$36.70

253.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.80 $9.80

$2.19 MX$40.38

347.49%

Potato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$1.92 MX$35.43

152.08%

Onion (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$1.87 MX$34.49

160.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.30 $5.30

$1.44 MX$26.62

268.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.27 MX$23.39

139.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.26 $13.26

$5.22 MX$96.4

154.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.77 $17.77

$16.17 MX$299

9.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.90 MX$35.03

41.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 $5.68

$4.22 MX$78.0

34.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$0.34 MX$6.30

764.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.7 $90.7

$19.65 MX$363

361.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.00 MX$36.90

78.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.52 MX$9.67

392.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.20 $45.20

$5.34 MX$98.7

746.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.52 MX$28.13

-9.21%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$22.1K MX$408.0K

63.71%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$24.5K MX$452.9K

7.02%

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

$256 $256

$61.1 MX$1,129

318.45%

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

$67.4 $67.4

$28.58 MX$528

135.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 $66.5

$34.47 MX$637

92.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 $64.9

$56.4 MX$1,042

15.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.37 $31.37

$24.88 MX$460

26.09%

Cinema Ticket

$20.22 $20.22

$6.66 MX$123

203.60%

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

$2,123 $2,123

$427 MX$7,891

397.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.7K $26.7K

$11.6K MX$215.0K

129.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 $62.8

$67.8 MX$1,253

-7.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.82 $45.82

$52.0 MX$960

-11.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$106 MX$1,959

-5.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$113 MX$2,080

18.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,941 $2,941

$1,025 MX$18.9K

187.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 $1,972

$654 MX$12.1K

201.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,026 $5,026

$2,308 MX$42.7K

117.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,687 $3,687

$1,242 MX$22.9K

196.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,589 $8,589

$3,613 MX$66.8K

137.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,339 $7,339

$1,936 MX$35.8K

279.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,099 $4,099

$964 MX$17.8K

325.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

11.3

-40.71%

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

Last update for Honolulu, HI: 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

Honolulu, HI

$2K 49.7%

Mexico City

$654 42.3% 66.8% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Honolulu, HI

$716 18.1%

Mexico City

$318 20.6% 55.5% $397

Eating Out

Honolulu, HI

$509 12.8%

Mexico City

$204 13.2% 59.9% $305

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Honolulu, HI

$389 9.8%

Mexico City

$124 8% 68.1% $265

Clothing & Footwear

Honolulu, HI

$154 3.9%

Mexico City

$152 9.8% 1.2% $1.9

Getting Around

Honolulu, HI

$119 3%

Mexico City

$26 1.7% 78.4% $93

Sport & Entertainment

Honolulu, HI

$105 2.7%

Mexico City

$70 4.5% 33.9% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,941 in Honolulu, HI 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 325% higher in Honolulu, HI, 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 $143 in Honolulu, HI versus $49.00 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $716 vs $318 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Honolulu, HI

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

05:40 5:40 AM

09:40 9:40 AM

4 h ahead of Honolulu, HI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

350,964

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

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Honolulu, HI Mexico City 6,090 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Honolulu, HI
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

Honolulu, HI vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Honolulu, HI costs about 156% more than Mexico City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,945 per month in Honolulu, HI 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,963 in Honolulu, HI and $1,548 in Mexico City. That's a gap of about 156%.

Public transport costs about 362% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,548, than in Honolulu, HI at $3,963. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Honolulu, HI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,548 versus $3,963 in Honolulu, HI. 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 Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Honolulu, HI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.