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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $971 in Apia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $2,534 in Apia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $4,097 in Apia.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 52% more expensive than in Apia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Apia is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$229

$53.0 WST 146

-75.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$934

$35.35 WST 97.2

51.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$163

$13.72 WST 37.74

-32.00%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.5

$2.46 WST 6.78

50.41%

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

$1.60 MX$27.98

$2.04 WST 5.60

-21.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$1.31 WST 3.62

-14.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$4.20 WST 11.56

-25.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

$3.46 WST 9.52

40.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.84

$1.84 WST 5.05

-10.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$0.79 WST 2.16

243.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.29

$1.82 WST 5.00

4.95%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.17

$4.26 WST 11.72

-39.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$171

$0.93 WST 2.55

954.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.51 WST 9.66

140.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

$8.10 WST 22.27

47.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$5.09 WST 13.99

-42.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$1.84 WST 5.05

-5.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.66

$1.83 WST 5.04

11.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.93

$4.39 WST 12.07

-53.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.49

$3.62 WST 9.96

-40.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.33

$1.04 WST 2.87

117.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.47

$1.19 WST 3.28

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

$6.06 WST 16.66

-30.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$305

$16.39 WST 45.06

6.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$1.81 WST 4.99

-5.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.4

$3.54 WST 9.75

2.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

$3.66 WST 10.07

-90.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

$5.38 WST 14.81

-74.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

$21.59 WST 59.4

-75.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.69

$1.04 WST 2.86

30.77%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

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

$40.53 MX$707

$17.60 WST 48.39

130.28%

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

$27.38 MX$478

$17.76 WST 48.85

54.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$530

$35.95 WST 98.9

-15.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

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

$425 MX$7,414

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$50.0 WST 138

16.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

$39.48 WST 109

12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

$76.1 WST 209

36.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

$99.7 WST 274

9.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

$1,855 WST 5,102

-34.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Apia: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $35.00 in Apia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $237 per month, with Apia 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 Apia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Apia wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Apia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,208 in Mexico City and $1,456 in Apia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $971 in Apia – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $971 in Apia versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Apia but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Apia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Apia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $971 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Apia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Apia 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 Apia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.