Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Chang and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Chang and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $986 per month in Koh Chang vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,771 per month in Koh Chang vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,556 per month in Koh Chang vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Koh Chang is about 34% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Koh Chang sits 26% below the global median, while Mexico City is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 ฿119

$12.98 MX$226

-71.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.12 ฿1,207

$53.1 MX$923

-30.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 ฿224

$9.72 MX$169

-29.12%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ฿80.0

$3.75 MX$65.2

-34.40%

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

$0.59 ฿19.17

$1.57 MX$27.30

-62.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.27

$1.13 MX$19.64

-74.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ฿65.0

$3.18 MX$55.3

-37.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ฿93.8

$4.66 MX$81.1

-37.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿63.4

$1.62 MX$28.21

20.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ฿54.9

$2.71 MX$47.09

-37.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ฿65.3

$1.88 MX$32.70

6.91%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.51 MX$43.65

-20.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.70 ฿575

$10.08 MX$175

75.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$8.29 MX$144

-59.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.84 ฿385

$11.94 MX$208

-0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿94.7

$2.86 MX$49.77

1.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.66

$1.75 MX$30.45

-12.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 ฿67.3

$2.08 MX$36.27

-0.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 ฿61.3

$1.97 MX$34.27

-4.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.10

$2.16 MX$37.58

-32.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ฿43.83

$2.18 MX$37.94

-38.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ฿30.31

$1.39 MX$24.20

-33.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ฿14.02

$1.12 MX$19.57

-61.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 ฿126

$4.20 MX$73.1

-8.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.39 ฿565

$14.25 MX$248

22.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ฿54.5

$1.76 MX$30.68

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ฿77.9

$3.68 MX$64.1

-35.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ฿36.98

$0.39 MX$6.71

192.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿78.5

$1.39 MX$24.12

74.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿25.44

$0.30 MX$5.29

160.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.14 ฿362

$5.42 MX$94.3

105.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ฿35.03

$1.35 MX$23.50

-20.00%

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

$22.4K ฿728.8K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

18.72%

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

$26.7K ฿867.2K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

15.21%

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

$118 ฿3,842

$40.82 MX$710

189.54%

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

$12.83 ฿417

$27.50 MX$479

-53.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.68 ฿575

$30.38 MX$529

-41.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,694

$53.4 MX$930

-2.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.32 ฿466

$26.30 MX$458

-45.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 ฿251

$6.27 MX$109

23.29%

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

$628 ฿20.4K

$436 MX$7,588

44.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ฿460.9K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

35.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ฿1,843

$56.8 MX$988

-0.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 ฿1,086

$44.79 MX$779

-25.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ฿3,518

$103 MX$1,789

5.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 ฿2,596

$108 MX$1,878

-25.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 ฿13.0K

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-59.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,397

$620 MX$10.8K

-53.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ฿42.8K

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-38.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 ฿31.2K

$1,235 MX$21.5K

-22.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,454 ฿79.8K

$3,865 MX$67.3K

-36.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,721 ฿56.0K

$2,332 MX$40.6K

-26.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.34

-53.00%

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

Last update for Koh Chang: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $401 in Koh Chang versus $1,000 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 $37.00 in Koh Chang versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $286 – making Koh Chang 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

Koh Chang vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $986 in Koh Chang, $1,484 in Mexico City – roughly 51% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,479 per month in Koh Chang and $2,225 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Koh Chang, 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 $986 in Koh Chang and $1,484 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $628 per month in Koh Chang and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Chang, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Koh Chang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City 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 $986 in Koh Chang to $1,484 in Mexico City. 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 Koh Chang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.