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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $2,519 in Balbriggan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $3,758 in Balbriggan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $4,997 in Balbriggan.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 43% less than in Balbriggan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 8% above, Balbriggan 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$23.01 €19.82

-43.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$104 €89.6

-49.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$12.69 €10.93

-25.69%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$4.82 €4.15

-25.93%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$2.49 €2.15

-35.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$2.13 €1.83

-46.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$8.32 €7.17

-62.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$6.80 €5.86

-28.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.67 €1.44

1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.11 €1.81

25.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.98 €1.71

-4.04%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.14 €2.70

-19.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$11.38 €9.80

-11.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$11.44 €9.86

-27.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$13.92 €12.00

-16.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.26 €2.81

-7.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.03 €1.75

-15.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.91 €2.50

-29.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$5.55 €4.79

-62.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.15 €1.85

-4.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.79 €1.54

21.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.36 €1.17

2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.99 €1.72

-43.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$20.24 €17.43

-78.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$13.96 €12.03

10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.91 €2.50

-42.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.53 €2.18

45.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$2.46 €2.12

-84.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$98.5 €84.8

-80.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$5.24 €4.52

-73.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$2.07 €1.78

-86.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$38.81 €33.44

-86.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$2.03 €1.75

-36.95%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$41.7K €36.0K

-54.53%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$40.7K €35.0K

-42.31%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$177 €153

-76.83%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$17.57 €15.14

53.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$46.24 €39.84

-35.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$55.2 €47.54

-5.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$13.77 €11.86

-55.12%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$1,374 €1,184

-68.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$9,416 €8,113

13.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$105 €90.3

-45.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$28.86 €24.86

55.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$64.9 €55.9

61.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$126 €108

-15.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$1,498 €1,291

-33.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$1,255 €1,081

-50.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$2,432 €2,095

-12.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$1,946 €1,677

-35.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$4,381 €3,775

-10.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$2,748 €2,368

-23.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$2,359 €2,033

-53.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.04

180.69%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Balbriggan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $1,498 in Balbriggan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balbriggan pays 113% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $104 in Balbriggan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $346 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 Balbriggan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Balbriggan differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $2,519 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Balbriggan earns 113% less. 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $1,498 in Balbriggan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Balbriggan. 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 $53.0 versus $104 in Balbriggan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $2,519 in Balbriggan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Balbriggan. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Balbriggan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.