Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Alice Springs Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Alice Springs

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,810 in Alice Springs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $2,604 in Alice Springs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $3,399 in Alice Springs.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 20% less than in Alice Springs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Alice Springs 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$12.99 A$18.61

0.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$78.3 A$112

-31.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$9.93 A$14.23

-2.52%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$3.71 A$5.31

0.81%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$2.60 A$3.72

-37.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$2.48 A$3.55

-53.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$6.10 A$8.75

-47.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$8.89 A$12.73

-46.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.44 A$2.06

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$2.21 A$3.17

24.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.86 A$2.66

0.54%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$4.76 A$6.82

-47.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.57 A$12.28

19.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$12.80 A$18.34

-35.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$13.86 A$19.85

-14.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$3.63 A$5.21

-17.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$4.32 A$6.19

-58.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$4.18 A$5.99

-52.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$7.02 A$10.06

-71.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$3.16 A$4.52

-34.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$2.44 A$3.50

-6.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$2.12 A$3.04

-31.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.63 A$2.33

-33.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$17.70 A$25.36

-75.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$15.39 A$22.04

10.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$3.18 A$4.55

-45.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$5.40 A$7.73

-33.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$1.59 A$2.28

-75.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$64.4 A$92.2

-70.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$3.49 A$5.00

-61.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.28 A$1.83

-78.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$34.78 A$49.84

-84.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.31 A$1.88

2.29%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$30.1K A$43.2K

-35.61%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$21.0K A$30.0K

13.67%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$194 A$278

-79.05%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$26.95 A$38.61

-0.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$66.6 A$95.4

-54.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$66.1 A$94.8

-20.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$16.42 A$23.52

62.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$13.27 A$19.01

-50.94%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$1,318 A$1,888

-67.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$2,699 A$3,867

289.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$71.8 A$103

-20.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$11.24 A$16.11

304.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$138 A$198

-24.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$108 A$154

0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$611 A$876

64.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$563 A$806

10.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$1,443 A$2,068

46.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$634 A$909

92.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$4,521 A$6,478

-14.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$4,599 A$6,589

-55.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$4,376 A$6,269

-76.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.34

78.86%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Alice Springs: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $611 in Alice Springs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alice Springs pays 322% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $78.0 in Alice Springs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $390 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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

Mexico City vs Alice Springs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Alice Springs. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 322% lower in Alice Springs. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $611 in Alice Springs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Alice Springs. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $78.0 in Alice Springs. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,810 in Alice Springs, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Alice Springs. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,456 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Alice Springs are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Alice Springs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.