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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $208 per month in Livingstone vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $391 per month in Livingstone vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $573 per month in Livingstone vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Livingstone is about 87% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Livingstone sits 85% below the global median, while Mexico City is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 ZMW 149

$12.11 MX$205

-35.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.81 ZMW 609

$52.2 MX$883

-39.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 ZMW 175

$10.90 MX$184

-15.96%

Cappuccino

$5.40 ZMW 103

$4.05 MX$68.5

33.33%

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

$1.72 MX$28.99

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ZMW 6.76

$1.38 MX$23.28

-74.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.32

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.24

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.16

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.94

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.02

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.36

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.99

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.19

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

Wine (Bottle)

$20.89 ZMW 400

$17.59 MX$297

18.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.48

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 ZMW 50.8

$0.58 MX$9.77

356.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.30

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

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

$26.7K MX$450.6K

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

$65.2 MX$1,102

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

$29.87 MX$505

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

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

$453 MX$7,662

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$934

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

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 Livingstone: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Livingstone versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $42.00 vs $345 – making Livingstone 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $208 in Livingstone, $1,646 in Mexico City – roughly 692% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $312 per month in Livingstone and $2,469 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Livingstone and $52.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $208 in Livingstone and $1,646 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Livingstone, where all-in costs run around $208, than in Mexico City at $1,646. In Livingstone 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 $208 in Livingstone to $1,646 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Livingstone. 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.