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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,609 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $2,497 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $3,386 in Bålsta.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 9% less than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Bålsta 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$12.92 SEK 125

1.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$67.5 SEK 653

-20.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$9.24 SEK 89.5

4.76%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$4.15 SEK 40.17

-9.88%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$2.78 SEK 26.96

-41.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$2.38 SEK 23.03

-51.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$7.53 SEK 72.9

-57.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$7.42 SEK 71.8

-36.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.60 SEK 15.51

3.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$2.13 SEK 20.60

29.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$3.79 SEK 36.72

-50.66%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$3.86 SEK 37.36

-35.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$11.70 SEK 113

-12.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$11.82 SEK 114

-30.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$11.43 SEK 111

3.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.57 SEK 24.91

17.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$2.69 SEK 26.04

-32.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.34 SEK 22.66

-14.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$3.01 SEK 29.17

-33.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.57 SEK 15.18

32.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.30 SEK 12.63

74.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.56 SEK 15.11

-6.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$1.07 SEK 10.36

0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$7.57 SEK 73.3

-42.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$10.24 SEK 99.1

65.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.60 SEK 15.48

8.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.92 SEK 18.55

86.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$3.28 SEK 31.76

-88.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$74.9 SEK 725

-75.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$6.39 SEK 61.8

-79.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.22 SEK 11.84

-77.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$81.6 SEK 790

-93.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.93 SEK 18.72

-30.57%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$32.8K SEK 317.3K

-40.78%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$34.7K SEK 336.4K

-31.41%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$52.0 SEK 504

-21.81%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$21.11 SEK 204

27.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$36.55 SEK 354

-16.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$40.47 SEK 392

30.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$24.85 SEK 241

7.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$13.65 SEK 132

-52.31%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$128 SEK 1,243

233.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$734 SEK 7,102

1331.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$74.9 SEK 726

-23.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$10.69 SEK 104

325.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$85.1 SEK 824

22.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$115 SEK 1,111

-6.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$824 SEK 7,975

21.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$663 SEK 6,418

-6.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$1,372 SEK 13.3K

53.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$1,065 SEK 10.3K

14.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$3,802 SEK 36.8K

2.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$3,106 SEK 30.1K

-34.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$3,963 SEK 38.4K

-73.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

278.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $824 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 282% 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 $67.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $309 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 Bålsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Bålsta. 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 282% lower in Bålsta. 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 $824 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $1,609 in Bålsta – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 301% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,609 in Bålsta, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Bålsta. 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 Bålsta 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 10% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.