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 $1,185 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,975 per month in Koh Samui vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,766 per month in Koh Samui vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Koh Samui is about 29% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Koh Samui sits 13% below the global median, while Mexico City is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 ฿153

$11.92 MX$206

-61.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.95 ฿1,067

$51.6 MX$890

-38.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 ฿284

$11.41 MX$197

-25.42%

Cappuccino

$2.79 ฿93.2

$3.99 MX$68.9

-30.08%

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

$0.84 ฿28.18

$1.66 MX$28.61

-49.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ฿15.18

$1.33 MX$22.87

-66.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿80.0

$3.47 MX$59.9

-30.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 ฿129

$5.90 MX$102

-34.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.88 MX$32.36

-3.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.15

$3.25 MX$56.1

-56.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.1

$2.16 MX$37.26

-26.39%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.90 MX$49.94

-23.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.33 ฿645

$12.86 MX$222

50.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ฿116

$10.05 MX$173

-65.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.12 ฿371

$15.86 MX$273

-29.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.29 MX$56.8

-9.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.5

$2.01 MX$34.60

-15.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ฿76.3

$2.20 MX$37.93

3.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$2.36 MX$40.63

-8.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.76

$2.05 MX$35.43

-28.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.35

$1.90 MX$32.79

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.71

$1.61 MX$27.68

-31.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ฿19.53

$1.40 MX$24.09

-57.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿143

$5.46 MX$94.2

-21.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿625

$17.65 MX$304

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.9

$2.06 MX$35.44

-13.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿93.6

$4.68 MX$80.8

-39.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 ฿78.3

$0.34 MX$5.84

588.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.54 ฿1,520

$20.81 MX$359

118.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 ฿107

$2.10 MX$36.15

52.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.56 MX$9.64

101.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 ฿134

$5.81 MX$100

-31.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.61 MX$27.68

-3.73%

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

$27.9K ฿932.7K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

22.33%

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

$27.9K ฿931.3K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

4.29%

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

$108 ฿3,613

$65.2 MX$1,124

66.08%

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

$11.55 ฿385

$30.09 MX$519

-61.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.57 ฿620

$37.18 MX$641

-50.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 ฿1,878

$59.8 MX$1,030

-5.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.50 ฿384

$26.55 MX$458

-56.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 ฿261

$7.04 MX$121

11.22%

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

$614 ฿20.5K

$465 MX$8,012

32.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K ฿431.9K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-2.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 ฿2,152

$75.9 MX$1,308

-15.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.97 ฿967

$56.0 MX$965

-48.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 ฿3,245

$112 MX$1,929

-13.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 ฿3,002

$121 MX$2,078

-25.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.6K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-44.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ฿13.8K

$721 MX$12.4K

-42.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 ฿58.9K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-30.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 ฿35.1K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-18.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,010 ฿100.5K

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-24.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,213 ฿73.9K

$2,090 MX$36.0K

5.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$389 ฿13.0K

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-62.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.3

-50.71%

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

Last update for Koh Samui: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Koh Samui versus $1,103 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 167% 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 $32.00 in Koh Samui versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $345 – making Koh Samui 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 Samui vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,185 in Koh Samui, $1,660 in Mexico City – roughly 40% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,777 per month in Koh Samui and $2,489 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.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Koh Samui and $52.0 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 $1,185, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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 $1,185 in Koh Samui to $1,660 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.