Cost of Living Comparison Between Isle of Islay and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Isle of Islay and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,314 per month in Isle of Islay vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,486 per month in Isle of Islay vs $2,342 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,658 per month in Isle of Islay vs $3,199 in Mexico City, rent included.

Isle of Islay costs about 56% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Isle of Islay and Mexico City sit above the global median – Isle of Islay by 72%, Mexico City by 10%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Isle of Islay
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.71 £15.30
$13.29 MX$230
55.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$95.0 £70.2
$53.8 MX$931
76.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.39 £7.68
$9.29 MX$161
11.84%
Cappuccino
$4.41 £3.26
$3.61 MX$62.5
22.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 £1.64
$1.56 MX$26.97
42.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 £0.98
$1.12 MX$19.42
17.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.72 £4.23
$3.13 MX$54.1
82.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.82 £4.30
$4.71 MX$81.5
23.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Isle of Islay
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.09 £1.54
$1.70 MX$29.48
22.94%
White Bread (500g)
$1.50 £1.11
$2.77 MX$47.92
-45.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 £1.84
$1.96 MX$33.97
27.04%
Eggs
$4.72 £3.49
$2.60 MX$45.11
81.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.04 £5.94
$9.94 MX$172
-19.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.55 £7.06
$8.10 MX$140
17.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.72 £11.62
$11.50 MX$199
36.70%
Apples (1kg)
$3.09 £2.29
$2.87 MX$49.72
7.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.44 £1.80
$1.73 MX$30.00
41.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.71 £2.00
$2.00 MX$34.65
35.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.61 £3.41
$2.04 MX$35.30
125.98%
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 £1.60
$2.08 MX$36.06
3.85%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 £1.38
$2.20 MX$38.03
-15.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 £0.93
$1.45 MX$25.18
-13.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.10 £1.55
$1.07 MX$18.59
96.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.10 £14.12
$4.27 MX$74.0
347.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.11 £8.95
$14.32 MX$248
-15.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.17 £2.34
$1.76 MX$30.55
80.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 £2.19
$3.70 MX$64.1
-20.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Isle of Islay
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.42 £2.52
$0.35 MX$6.11
877.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.3 £65.3
$19.19 MX$332
360.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.85 £3.59
$1.34 MX$23.13
261.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 £1.13
$0.28 MX$4.82
446.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.37 £17.27
$5.33 MX$92.4
338.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.89 £1.39
$1.34 MX$23.22
41.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K £28.5K
$19.1K MX$331.2K
101.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$47.8K £35.3K
$23.9K MX$413.6K
100.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Isle of Islay
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$236 £175
$39.86 MX$690
493.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.48 £10.70
$26.78 MX$464
-45.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.06 £34.78
$29.36 MX$509
60.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Isle of Islay
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.24 £34.17
$53.4 MX$925
-13.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.09 MX$452
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.71 £9.40
$6.40 MX$111
98.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Isle of Islay
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,602 £1,184
$440 MX$7,629
263.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K £11.9K
$10.8K MX$186.2K
49.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Isle of Islay
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.6 £72.1
$57.6 MX$998
69.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.8 £48.62
$45.02 MX$780
46.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 £102
$104 MX$1,797
32.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 £88.7
$108 MX$1,870
11.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Isle of Islay
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,230 £909
$1,013 MX$17.5K
21.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,005 £742
$630 MX$10.9K
59.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,022 £1,494
$2,162 MX$37.4K
-6.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,695 £1,253
$1,222 MX$21.2K
38.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,793 MX$65.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,332 MX$40.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Isle of Islay
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,075 MX$18.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
11.34
-47.97%

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

Last update for Isle of Islay: April 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,230 in Isle of Islay versus $1,013 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95 in Isle of Islay versus $54 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $334 vs $285 – 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
Isle of Islay vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Isle of Islay?
Yes – Isle of Islay is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,472 per month in Isle of Islay and $2,226 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Isle of Islay or Mexico City?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Isle of Islay and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Isle of Islay vs Mexico City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,314 in Isle of Islay and $1,484 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Isle of Islay or Mexico City?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Isle of Islay at $2,314. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Isle of Islay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Isle of Islay or Mexico City more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Isle of Islay or Mexico City?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Isle of Islay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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