Cost of Living Comparison Between Kauai, Hawaii and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Kauai, Hawaii and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,624 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,752 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,880 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Kauai, Hawaii is roughly 79% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kauai, Hawaii 96% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.91 $18.91

$13.18 MX$230

43.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 $74.4

$53.9 MX$941

38.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 $11.05

$9.42 MX$165

17.30%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$3.55 MX$62.0

44.51%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.62 MX$28.25

53.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.11 MX$19.46

75.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 $5.92

$3.12 MX$54.5

89.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 $6.95

$4.63 MX$80.9

50.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.70 MX$29.71

-38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.72 MX$47.47

27.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$1.91 MX$33.39

122.51%

Eggs

$4.10 $4.10

$2.54 MX$44.29

61.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.09 $12.09

$10.03 MX$175

20.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$8.09 MX$141

38.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 $15.64

$11.62 MX$203

34.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.97 MX$51.8

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.81 MX$31.55

-13.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.01 MX$35.16

113.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.03 MX$35.54

127.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.12 MX$37.10

32.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.27 MX$39.63

23.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.40 MX$24.45

45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.13 MX$19.74

84.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$4.27 MX$74.6

129.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 $14.17

$15.56 MX$272

-8.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.76 MX$30.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.60 MX$62.8

-6.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.38 MX$6.69

421.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$335

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.38 MX$24.03

160.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.28 MX$4.83

492.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.65 $29.65

$5.45 MX$95.1

444.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.30 MX$22.77

-30.00%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$18.7K MX$326.4K

57.93%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.1K MX$404.0K

9.80%

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

$189 $189

$40.86 MX$714

363.36%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$26.81 MX$468

99.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$29.96 MX$523

126.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.95 $42.95

$52.0 MX$908

-17.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$13.53 $13.53

$6.30 MX$110

114.76%

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

$1,284 $1,284

$436 MX$7,617

194.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$10.4K MX$181.9K

121.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 $51.2

$56.7 MX$989

-9.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.66 $40.66

$44.38 MX$775

-8.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 $88.1

$103 MX$1,798

-14.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$106 MX$1,843

4.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 $1,603

$1,022 MX$17.8K

56.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 $1,339

$631 MX$11.0K

112.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,634 $2,634

$2,136 MX$37.3K

23.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,190 $2,190

$1,243 MX$21.7K

76.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,739 $2,739

$3,903 MX$68.2K

-29.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,467 $2,467

$2,064 MX$36.1K

19.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.34

-42.59%

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

Last update for Kauai, Hawaii: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Kauai, Hawaii and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Kauai, Hawaii vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 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

Kauai, Hawaii vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 79% lower than in Kauai, Hawaii. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,936 in Kauai, Hawaii and $2,201 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,603 in Kauai, Hawaii versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Kauai, Hawaii. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,624 per month in Kauai, Hawaii versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,624 in Kauai, Hawaii, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Kauai, Hawaii. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,467 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kauai, Hawaii and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Kauai, Hawaii. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.