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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,929 in Ashburton, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $2,945 in Ashburton, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $3,962 in Ashburton, rent included.

Mexico City is about 14% cheaper than Ashburton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mexico City and Ashburton sit above the global median – Mexico City by 21%, Ashburton by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$14.25 NZ$24.87

-16.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$70.5 NZ$123

-26.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$9.51 NZ$16.59

19.98%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$3.40 NZ$5.93

17.35%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$2.38 NZ$4.16

-30.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$1.91 NZ$3.33

-30.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$7.03 NZ$12.26

-50.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$6.78 NZ$11.84

-12.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.78 NZ$3.11

5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.93 NZ$3.37

68.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.50 NZ$2.61

44.00%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$6.13 NZ$10.71

-52.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$7.72 NZ$13.47

66.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$9.74 NZ$17.00

3.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$14.04 NZ$24.51

12.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$2.58 NZ$4.51

27.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.95 NZ$3.41

3.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.71 NZ$4.74

-18.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$3.25 NZ$5.67

-27.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.61 NZ$2.80

27.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.52 NZ$2.65

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$2.23 NZ$3.90

-27.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$1.36 NZ$2.38

2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$24.71 NZ$43.14

-77.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$8.89 NZ$15.52

98.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$3.52 NZ$6.14

-41.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$4.44 NZ$7.76

5.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$1.49 NZ$2.61

-77.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$78.2 NZ$136

-73.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$2.58 NZ$4.51

-18.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$1.71 NZ$2.98

-67.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$29.33 NZ$51.2

-80.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.93 NZ$3.37

-16.58%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$26.4K NZ$46.1K

-13.53%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$25.0K NZ$43.6K

7.08%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$166 NZ$290

-60.72%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$23.82 NZ$41.58

26.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$46.09 NZ$80.5

-19.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$37.79 NZ$66.0

58.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$11.49 NZ$20.05

-38.73%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$683 NZ$1,192

-31.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$22.5K NZ$39.3K

-40.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$59.8 NZ$104

26.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$40.64 NZ$70.9

37.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$104 NZ$182

7.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$125 NZ$218

-3.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$1,002 NZ$1,748

10.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$942 NZ$1,644

-23.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$1,494 NZ$2,608

69.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$1,527 NZ$2,665

-15.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$5,215 NZ$9,103

-23.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$3,892 NZ$6,795

-46.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.91

91.20%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ashburton: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $1,002 in Ashburton. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $71.0 in Ashburton. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $311 in Ashburton – so Ashburton wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ashburton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City, $1,929 in Ashburton – roughly 16% apart. Ashburton costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $2,894 in Ashburton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Ashburton – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $71.0 in Ashburton. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,660, than in Ashburton at $1,929. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ashburton 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 $1,660 in Mexico City to $1,929 in Ashburton. 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 Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ashburton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.