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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,242 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Koh Samui vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,215 per month in Koh Samui vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Koh Samui is about 16% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Koh Samui sits 7% below the global median, while Mexico City is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$12.98 MX$226

-65.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.54 ฿1,480

$53.1 MX$923

-14.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 ฿285

$9.72 MX$169

-9.77%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.9

$3.75 MX$65.2

-21.33%

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

$0.68 ฿22.12

$1.57 MX$27.30

-56.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.77

$1.13 MX$19.64

-68.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿80.5

$3.18 MX$55.3

-22.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$4.66 MX$81.1

-22.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿69.9

$1.62 MX$28.21

32.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 ฿60.6

$2.71 MX$47.09

-31.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿73.0

$1.88 MX$32.70

19.68%

Eggs

$2.34 ฿76.0

$2.51 MX$43.65

-6.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.40 ฿631

$10.08 MX$175

92.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$8.29 MX$144

-55.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 ฿440

$11.94 MX$208

13.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 ฿105

$2.86 MX$49.77

12.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿55.0

$1.75 MX$30.45

-3.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ฿74.3

$2.08 MX$36.27

9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿66.8

$1.97 MX$34.27

4.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.86

$2.16 MX$37.58

-29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.81

$2.18 MX$37.94

-31.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.07

$1.39 MX$24.20

-26.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.80

$1.12 MX$19.57

-53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ฿143

$4.20 MX$73.1

4.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.64 ฿639

$14.25 MX$248

37.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.76 MX$30.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ฿90.1

$3.68 MX$64.1

-24.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ฿48.55

$0.39 MX$6.71

282.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.03 ฿1,529

$18.66 MX$325

152.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿103

$1.39 MX$24.12

128.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 ฿35.64

$0.30 MX$5.29

266.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.28 ฿464

$5.42 MX$94.3

163.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.26

$1.35 MX$23.50

0.74%

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

$29.5K ฿960.6K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

56.47%

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

$34.9K ฿1.1M

$23.2K MX$402.8K

50.59%

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

$131 ฿4,245

$40.82 MX$710

219.89%

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

$14.15 ฿460

$27.50 MX$479

-48.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.24 ฿625

$30.38 MX$529

-36.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.5 ฿2,063

$53.4 MX$930

18.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.08 ฿588

$26.30 MX$458

-31.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.41 ฿306

$6.27 MX$109

50.08%

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

$776 ฿25.2K

$436 MX$7,588

77.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ฿576.5K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

69.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 ฿1,867

$56.8 MX$988

1.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 ฿1,124

$44.79 MX$779

-22.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ฿3,780

$103 MX$1,789

13.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 ฿2,795

$108 MX$1,878

-20.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿16.9K

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-47.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ฿12.3K

$620 MX$10.8K

-39.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,775 ฿57.7K

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-16.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 ฿40.8K

$1,235 MX$21.5K

1.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,140 ฿102.1K

$3,865 MX$67.3K

-18.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,254 ฿73.3K

$2,332 MX$40.6K

-3.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$404 ฿13.1K

$1,067 MX$18.6K

-62.16%

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 Samui: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $521 in Koh Samui 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.

Salaries run about 164% higher in Mexico City, 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 $46.00 in Koh Samui versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Koh Samui vs $286 in Mexico City – so Mexico City 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,242 in Koh Samui, $1,484 in Mexico City – roughly 19% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,863 per month in Koh Samui 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 Samui, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Mexico City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Koh Samui and $53.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Samui, where all-in costs run around $1,242, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Koh Samui it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Koh Samui has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,242 in Koh Samui 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 Samui. 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.