Cost of Living Comparison Between Keelung and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Keelung and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $959 in Keelung versus $1,682 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,702 in Keelung versus $2,599 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,444 in Keelung versus $3,516 in Mexico City.

Living in Keelung costs roughly 43% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Keelung is 30% below, Mexico City is 23% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Keelung
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.73 NT$151
$11.83 MX$200
-60.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.44 NT$969
$52.2 MX$884
-41.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.75 NT$151
$10.87 MX$184
-56.30%
Cappuccino
$2.84 NT$90.4
$4.03 MX$68.2
-29.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 NT$31.39
$1.71 MX$28.99
-42.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 NT$24.62
$1.34 MX$22.70
-42.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.59 NT$50.5
$3.39 MX$57.5
-53.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 NT$91.4
$5.74 MX$97.3
-50.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Keelung
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.02 NT$96.0
$1.89 MX$31.99
59.79%
White Bread (500g)
$1.42 NT$45.08
$3.17 MX$53.8
-55.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.15 NT$36.55
$2.05 MX$34.74
-43.90%
Eggs
$2.27 NT$72.2
$3.01 MX$51.1
-24.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$28.98 NT$923
$12.61 MX$214
129.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.45 NT$173
$9.94 MX$169
-45.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.50 NT$525
$16.00 MX$271
3.13%
Apples (1kg)
$4.34 NT$138
$3.28 MX$55.6
32.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 NT$59.2
$2.06 MX$34.87
-9.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 NT$56.3
$2.09 MX$35.36
-15.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 NT$69.7
$2.50 MX$42.44
-12.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.23 NT$39.17
$2.05 MX$34.76
-40.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.96 NT$62.3
$1.87 MX$31.70
4.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.36 NT$75.2
$1.57 MX$26.66
50.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 NT$26.75
$1.39 MX$23.64
-39.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.89 NT$124
$5.38 MX$91.2
-27.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.50 NT$303
$17.95 MX$304
-47.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 NT$35.23
$2.02 MX$34.31
-45.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 NT$80.4
$4.76 MX$80.7
-46.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Keelung
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.63 NT$20.21
$0.36 MX$6.13
75.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.6 NT$1,962
$20.80 MX$353
196.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.69 NT$85.8
$2.06 MX$34.92
30.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.95 NT$30.33
$0.56 MX$9.55
69.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.19 NT$293
$5.82 MX$98.6
57.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 NT$31.34
$1.54 MX$26.05
-36.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K NT$1.1M
$22.5K MX$380.6K
50.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.9K NT$730.6K
$26.5K MX$448.7K
-13.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Keelung
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.23 NT$1,281
$66.0 MX$1,118
-39.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.47 NT$461
$30.98 MX$525
-53.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.86 NT$346
$36.20 MX$613
-70.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Keelung
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.66 NT$1,104
$57.5 MX$975
-39.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.72 NT$978
$26.75 MX$453
14.84%
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 NT$249
$7.13 MX$121
9.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Keelung
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$342 NT$10.9K
$457 MX$7,738
-25.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.2K NT$546.6K
$13.2K MX$224.5K
29.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Keelung
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.7 NT$2,123
$75.8 MX$1,285
-12.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36 NT$1,126
$54.1 MX$917
-34.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$46.42 NT$1,478
$116 MX$1,974
-60.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$31.40 NT$1,000
$122 MX$2,063
-74.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Keelung
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$393 NT$12.5K
$1,147 MX$19.4K
-65.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$250 NT$7,955
$726 MX$12.3K
-65.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$958 NT$30.5K
$2,503 MX$42.4K
-61.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$750 NT$23.9K
$1,331 MX$22.6K
-43.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,383 NT$107.7K
$3,895 MX$66.0K
-13.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,347 NT$74.7K
$2,149 MX$36.4K
9.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Keelung
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,418 NT$77.0K
$1,069 MX$18.1K
126.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.27
11.35
-80.00%

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

Last update for Keelung: August 18, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Keelung and $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keelung pays 126% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Keelung vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $329 vs $344 per month, with Keelung 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
Keelung vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Keelung and in Mexico City?
Keelung and Mexico City differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($959 vs $1,682 including rent). Keelung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Keelung or Mexico City?
Average pay runs 126% higher in Keelung, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Keelung and in Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $393 in Keelung versus $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Keelung – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $959 in Keelung versus $1,682 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Keelung but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Keelung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Keelung and Mexico City?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Keelung or Mexico City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Keelung 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.
Where should expats move: Keelung or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Keelung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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