Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihir Island and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihir Island and Mexico City

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

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

$30.09 MX$517

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

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

$465 MX$7,976

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Lihir Island: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

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

Lihir Island vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward Lihir Island – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Lihir Island. 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.