🙂A single person spends $1,646 per month in Mexico City vs $1,901 in Barnsley, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,613 per month in Mexico City vs $2,913 in Barnsley, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,580 per month in Mexico City vs $3,925 in Barnsley, rent included.
🙂Mexico City is about 13% cheaper than Barnsley, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Mexico City and Barnsley sit above the global median – Mexico City by 20%, Barnsley by 38%.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Barnsley
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.11MX$205
$24.10£17.83
-49.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.2MX$882
$84.6£62.6
-38.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.90MX$184
$10.86£8.03
0.37%
Cappuccino
$4.05MX$68.4
$5.17£3.83
-21.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$28.96
$2.32£1.71
-25.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38MX$23.26
$1.72£1.27
-19.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.47MX$58.5
$6.12£4.53
-43.30%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.81MX$98.1
$6.82£5.05
-14.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Barnsley
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.85MX$31.30
$1.66£1.23
11.45%
White Bread(500g)
$3.22MX$54.4
$1.97£1.46
63.45%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.21
$2.10£1.56
-0.48%
Eggs
$2.91MX$49.12
$4.02£2.98
-27.61%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.49MX$211
$8.90£6.58
40.34%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.11MX$171
$8.77£6.48
15.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.89MX$268
$15.00£11.10
5.93%
Apples(1kg)
$3.31MX$56.0
$3.02£2.24
9.60%
Banana(1kg)
$2.13MX$35.91
$1.96£1.45
8.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.19MX$36.99
$2.59£1.92
-15.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.45MX$41.33
$2.87£2.13
-14.63%
Potato(1kg)
$2.19MX$36.96
$1.93£1.42
13.47%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.16
$1.65£1.22
15.15%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.62MX$27.28
$1.50£1.11
8.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.35MX$22.79
$1.42£1.05
-4.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.43MX$91.6
$23.59£17.45
-76.98%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.59MX$297
$11.71£8.66
50.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07MX$34.92
$3.36£2.49
-38.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.75MX$80.1
$3.39£2.51
40.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Barnsley
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.34MX$5.74
$2.69£1.99
-87.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$21.58MX$364
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.04MX$34.45
$5.40£4.00
-62.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58MX$9.76
$1.46£1.08
-60.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.97MX$101
$19.57£14.48
-69.49%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.62MX$27.28
$2.02£1.49
-19.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8KMX$385.2K
$39.1K£28.9K
-41.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7KMX$450.2K
$41.1K£30.4K
-35.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Barnsley
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$65.2MX$1,102
$291£215
-77.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.87MX$504
$20.89£15.45
42.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.55MX$617
$44.29£32.77
-17.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Barnsley
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.0MX$1,030
$67.2£49.69
-9.19%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.70MX$451
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.85MX$116
$12.84£9.50
-46.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Barnsley
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$453MX$7,656
$1,485£1,098
-69.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.4KMX$225.8K
$16.5K£12.2K
-18.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Barnsley
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.0MX$1,266
$62.6£46.33
19.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.3MX$934
$42.60£31.52
29.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114MX$1,918
$94.2£69.7
20.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123MX$2,071
$78.4£58.0
56.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Barnsley
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,134MX$19.1K
$938£694
20.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$712MX$12.0K
$677£501
5.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,571MX$43.4K
$1,389£1,028
85.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,311MX$22.1K
$1,118£827
17.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,993MX$67.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,095MX$35.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Barnsley
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,047MX$17.7K
$3,030£2,242
-65.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.3
5.61
101.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026
Last update for Barnsley: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,134 in Mexico City versus $938 in Barnsley. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 189% higher in Barnsley, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $85.0 in Barnsley. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $307 in Barnsley – so Barnsley 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 Barnsley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barnsley cheaper than Mexico City?
Yes – Barnsley is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,469 per month in Mexico City and $2,851 in Barnsley. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Mexico City and in Barnsley?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,646 in Mexico City and $1,901 in Barnsley. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $453 per month in Mexico City and $1,485 in Barnsley. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Mexico City or in Barnsley?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,646, than in Barnsley at $1,901. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barnsley it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Mexico City or Barnsley more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Mexico City or Barnsley?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barnsley makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared