Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,053 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,047 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,042 in Iqaluit, NU versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Iqaluit, NU is roughly 108% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iqaluit, NU 128% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.29 CA$43.33

$13.18 MX$228

137.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 CA$91.0

$53.9 MX$932

21.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.97 CA$17.96

$9.42 MX$163

37.69%

Cappuccino

$6.69 CA$9.26

$3.55 MX$61.4

88.45%

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

$3.99 CA$5.53

$1.62 MX$27.98

146.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$1.11 MX$19.27

51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 CA$9.53

$3.12 MX$54.0

120.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CA$8.30

$4.63 MX$80.1

29.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.37

$1.70 MX$29.43

43.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$2.72 MX$47.02

-1.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.16

$1.91 MX$33.07

57.07%

Eggs

$4.41 CA$6.11

$2.54 MX$43.86

73.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 CA$16.85

$10.03 MX$174

21.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.62 CA$18.86

$8.09 MX$140

68.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.77 CA$34.30

$11.62 MX$201

113.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.97 MX$51.3

-31.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.12

$1.81 MX$31.24

64.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 CA$2.72

$2.01 MX$34.82

-1.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.81

$2.03 MX$35.20

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.10

$2.12 MX$36.75

39.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$2.27 MX$39.25

71.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 CA$4.14

$1.40 MX$24.22

113.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 CA$4.92

$1.13 MX$19.55

214.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 CA$19.98

$4.27 MX$73.9

237.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 CA$17.73

$15.56 MX$269

-17.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.76 MX$30.39

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$3.60 MX$62.2

-39.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$0.38 MX$6.62

518.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 CA$200

$19.18 MX$332

651.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.82 CA$9.44

$1.38 MX$23.79

394.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 CA$0.98

$0.28 MX$4.78

153.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.47 CA$35.26

$5.45 MX$94.2

367.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$1.30 MX$22.55

-2.31%

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

$50.5K CA$70.0K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

170.42%

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

$45.7K CA$63.3K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

97.55%

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

$119 CA$164

$40.86 MX$707

190.70%

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

$54.3 CA$75.2

$26.81 MX$464

102.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 CA$77.9

$29.96 MX$518

87.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.07 CA$58.3

$52.0 MX$900

-19.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.02 CA$30.49

$26.84 MX$464

-17.96%

Cinema Ticket

$8.50 CA$11.77

$6.30 MX$109

34.92%

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

$1,019 CA$1,411

$436 MX$7,544

133.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,997 CA$5,534

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-61.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.0

$56.7 MX$980

10.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 CA$51.1

$44.38 MX$768

-16.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$143

$103 MX$1,780

0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$167

$106 MX$1,825

14.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 CA$2,336

$1,022 MX$17.7K

65.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 CA$2,169

$631 MX$10.9K

148.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,136 CA$4,342

$2,136 MX$36.9K

46.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,838 CA$2,545

$1,243 MX$21.5K

47.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,603 CA$6,373

$3,903 MX$67.5K

17.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,811 CA$5,277

$2,064 MX$35.7K

84.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,299 CA$5,952

$1,115 MX$19.3K

285.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.1

11.34

-28.57%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 286% 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: $66.0 in Iqaluit, NU vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $288 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

Iqaluit, NU vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iqaluit, NU pays 286% 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: $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,019 in Iqaluit, NU versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $3,053 in Iqaluit, NU, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Iqaluit, NU. 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 Iqaluit, NU, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.