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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Kingston vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,118 per month in Kingston vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,957 per month in Kingston vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Kingston costs about 39% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kingston and Mexico City sit above the global median – Kingston by 66%, Mexico City by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.20 CA$21.03

$12.11 MX$205

25.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 CA$88.8

$52.2 MX$883

22.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 CA$15.90

$10.90 MX$184

5.41%

Cappuccino

$3.47 CA$4.81

$4.05 MX$68.5

-14.32%

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

$2.10 CA$2.91

$1.72 MX$28.99

22.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 CA$1.82

$1.38 MX$23.28

-4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 CA$8.32

$3.47 MX$58.6

73.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 CA$8.60

$5.81 MX$98.2

6.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.83

$1.85 MX$31.32

10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CA$3.59

$3.22 MX$54.5

-19.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.54

$2.09 MX$35.24

56.94%

Eggs

$3.07 CA$4.25

$2.91 MX$49.16

5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 CA$14.57

$12.49 MX$211

-15.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.43 CA$15.82

$10.11 MX$171

13.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 CA$14.03

$15.89 MX$269

-36.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.22

$3.31 MX$56.0

-7.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.58

$2.13 MX$35.94

-46.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 CA$4.96

$2.19 MX$37.02

63.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.07

$2.45 MX$41.36

49.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$2.19 MX$36.99

50.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CA$3.15

$1.90 MX$32.19

19.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$1.62 MX$27.30

67.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.27

$1.35 MX$22.81

21.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.44 CA$18.60

$5.43 MX$91.7

147.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 CA$16.66

$17.59 MX$297

-31.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$2.07 MX$34.95

8.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.52

$4.75 MX$80.2

-31.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 CA$3.60

$0.34 MX$5.74

667.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.9 CA$80.1

$21.58 MX$365

168.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 CA$4.62

$2.04 MX$34.48

63.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$0.58 MX$9.77

160.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.10 CA$44.41

$5.97 MX$101

437.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 CA$1.48

$1.62 MX$27.30

-33.95%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$22.8K MX$385.5K

25.98%

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

$19.8K CA$27.4K

$26.7K MX$450.6K

-25.78%

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

$121 CA$168

$65.2 MX$1,102

86.07%

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

$39.59 CA$54.8

$29.87 MX$505

32.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 CA$91.5

$36.55 MX$618

80.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.84 CA$39.91

$61.0 MX$1,031

-52.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.82 CA$12.21

$26.70 MX$451

-66.97%

Cinema Ticket

$10.65 CA$14.73

$6.85 MX$116

55.47%

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

$537 CA$743

$453 MX$7,662

18.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 CA$73.5

$75.0 MX$1,267

-29.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.59 CA$46.48

$55.3 MX$934

-39.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 CA$115

$114 MX$1,920

-26.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 CA$122

$123 MX$2,073

-28.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 CA$2,158

$1,134 MX$19.2K

37.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 CA$1,702

$712 MX$12.0K

72.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,393 CA$3,311

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-6.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 CA$2,221

$1,311 MX$22.2K

22.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,500 CA$4,843

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-12.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 CA$3,503

$2,095 MX$35.4K

20.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,064 CA$4,240

$1,047 MX$17.7K

192.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.61

11.3

-59.20%

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

Last update for Kingston: September 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,559 in Kingston versus $1,134 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 193% higher in Kingston, 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 $64.0 in Kingston versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $333 in Kingston vs $345 in Mexico City – so Kingston wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kingston vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,280 in Kingston, $1,646 in Mexico City – roughly 39% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Kingston and $2,469 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 $2,280 in Kingston and $1,646 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 168% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,646, than in Kingston at $2,280. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,646 in Mexico City to $2,280 in Kingston. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Kingston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.