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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,640 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $2,500 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $3,359 in Bålsta.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 11% less than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Bålsta 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$13.33 SEK 125

-1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$68.3 SEK 641

-21.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$9.44 SEK 88.7

-0.21%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$4.10 SEK 38.53

-13.41%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$2.78 SEK 26.09

-41.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$2.40 SEK 22.58

-53.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$7.35 SEK 69.1

-57.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$7.51 SEK 70.5

-38.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.62 SEK 15.26

4.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$2.08 SEK 19.54

30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$3.79 SEK 35.60

-49.60%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$3.91 SEK 36.75

-35.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$11.38 SEK 107

-11.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$11.86 SEK 111

-31.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$11.38 SEK 107

2.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$2.72 SEK 25.54

9.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$2.65 SEK 24.93

-31.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$2.38 SEK 22.35

-15.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$2.92 SEK 27.45

-30.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$1.56 SEK 14.66

35.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$1.30 SEK 12.22

74.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$1.60 SEK 15.07

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$1.04 SEK 9.75

8.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$7.52 SEK 70.6

-43.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$10.83 SEK 102

43.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$1.55 SEK 14.59

13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$1.95 SEK 18.35

84.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$3.41 SEK 32.04

-88.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$73.0 SEK 686

-73.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$6.20 SEK 58.2

-77.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$1.19 SEK 11.21

-76.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$81.6 SEK 766

-93.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.93 SEK 18.17

-32.64%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$32.0K SEK 300.3K

-41.54%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$34.4K SEK 323.0K

-32.73%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$53.1 SEK 499

-23.05%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$20.82 SEK 196

28.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$36.89 SEK 346

-18.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$39.85 SEK 374

30.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$25.53 SEK 240

5.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$13.50 SEK 127

-53.33%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$125 SEK 1,173

249.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$748 SEK 7,025

1292.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$75.3 SEK 707

-24.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$10.66 SEK 100

316.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$84.6 SEK 794

21.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$115 SEK 1,081

-8.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$842 SEK 7,913

21.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$664 SEK 6,240

-5.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$1,413 SEK 13.3K

51.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$1,074 SEK 10.1K

15.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$4,129 SEK 38.8K

-5.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$2,918 SEK 27.4K

-29.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$4,120 SEK 38.7K

-72.93%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $842 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 269% 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 $68.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 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 12% 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, Bålsta earns 269% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $842 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $1,640 in Bålsta – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 281% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,640 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 $1,467 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 12% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.