Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Beihai

For one person, living is cheaper in Beihai: $751 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Beihai, China
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Beihai
🇨🇳 China
$751
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Beihai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Beihai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $751 in Beihai, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Beihai $751

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $1,202 in Beihai, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Beihai $1,202

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $1,653 in Beihai, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Beihai $1,653

Mexico City costs about 114% more than Beihai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 18% above the global median, while Beihai is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Beihai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$198
$3.39 ¥22.53
213.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$901
$21.37 ¥142
126.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$193
$5.26 ¥35.03
96.77%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$68.8
$2.61 ¥17.34
41.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.07
$0.53 ¥3.55
215.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.59
$0.26 ¥1.75
388.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.5
$0.99 ¥6.62
222.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$98.9
$2.04 ¥13.56
160.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Beihai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.15
$1.92 ¥12.80
-10.42%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$56.7
$1.55 ¥10.29
96.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$1.09 ¥7.24
77.98%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$53.8
$1.86 ¥12.37
55.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$205
$13.67 ¥91.0
-19.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$172
$2.96 ¥19.73
212.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$282
$11.04 ¥73.5
37.05%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$56.8
$1.96 ¥13.04
55.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$1.44 ¥9.55
34.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.75
$1.37 ¥9.13
48.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.15
$1.14 ¥7.60
102.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$37.94
$0.80 ¥5.29
155.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.55
$0.84 ¥5.61
114.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.58
$0.60 ¥3.99
146.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.63
$0.55 ¥3.67
130.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$98.9
$4.28 ¥28.45
23.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$300
$10.64 ¥70.8
51.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$36.97
$0.76 ¥5.06
160.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.3
$1.52 ¥10.12
179.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Beihai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.69
$0.31 ¥2.06
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$368
$18.87 ¥126
4.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.25
$1.36 ¥9.04
35.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.94
$0.29 ¥1.95
82.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$98.7
$6.41 ¥42.67
-17.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.16
$1.45 ¥9.62
4.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$405.5K
$20.1K ¥133.7K
8.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$447.1K
$15.7K ¥104.6K
52.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Beihai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,174
$56.6 ¥377
11.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$511
$9.10 ¥60.6
200.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$665
$11.34 ¥75.5
214.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Beihai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,099
$41.57 ¥277
41.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$441
$13.34 ¥88.8
77.21%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$119
$6.82 ¥45.37
-6.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Beihai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,045
$486 ¥3,236
-11.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$212.9K
$20.1K ¥133.9K
-43.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Beihai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,272
$42.19 ¥281
61.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$990
$28.87 ¥192
84.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,009
$75.9 ¥505
41.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,186
$76.3 ¥508
53.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Beihai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.8K
$324 ¥2,156
243.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.2K
$203 ¥1,348
250.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.2K
$618 ¥4,115
318.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.2K
$418 ¥2,782
236.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$67.7K
$3,575 ¥23.8K
1.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$39.8K
$1,823 ¥12.1K
17.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Beihai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
3.36
237.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Beihai: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Beihai
$203 71.5% $508
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Beihai
$206 35.5% $113
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Beihai
$86 56.5% $112
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Beihai
$100 35.5% $55
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Beihai
$77 38.9% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Beihai
$55 23.1% $17
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Beihai
$23 9.9% $2.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $324 in Beihai. 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 $48 in Mexico City versus $21 in Beihai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $206 – making Beihai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇨🇳 Beihai
🕒 Local time
19:02 7:02 PM
09:02 9:02 AM
14 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
1,617,500
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.41 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Beihai 14,530 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Beihai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Beihai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mexico City or Beihai?
Mexico City costs about 114% more than Beihai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mexico City and in Beihai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $1,126 in Beihai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Mexico City or Beihai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Beihai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $324 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.
Are groceries more expensive in Mexico City or in Beihai?
Groceries cost about 55% more in Mexico City, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How do dining costs compare in Mexico City and in Beihai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City and $21 in Beihai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Mexico City or Beihai?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $751 in Beihai to $1,608 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Beihai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 53% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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