Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Beijing (Pekin) Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Beijing (Pekin)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,177 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,908 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $2,639 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

Mexico City costs about 41% more than Beijing (Pekin), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Beijing (Pekin) is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$4.44 ¥29.76

168.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$29.71 ¥199

73.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$5.36 ¥35.90

112.87%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$3.55 ¥23.75

12.39%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.55 ¥3.68

201.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.27 ¥1.79

392.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$1.22 ¥8.19

184.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$1.67 ¥11.16

253.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.77 ¥11.88

6.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.67 ¥11.20

94.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.13 ¥7.54

91.15%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.01 ¥13.46

44.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$14.40 ¥96.4

-10.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.34 ¥22.38

200.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$10.83 ¥72.5

46.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$2.17 ¥14.51

51.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.81 ¥12.10

11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.94 ¥12.99

13.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.57 ¥10.49

50.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$0.72 ¥4.82

184.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$0.92 ¥6.17

106.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.70 ¥4.68

130.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.62 ¥4.12

125.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$4.16 ¥27.85

31.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$14.66 ¥98.2

20.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.05 ¥7.00

96.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$1.77 ¥11.87

164.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.77 ¥5.13

-55.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$34.73 ¥233

-40.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$1.93 ¥12.89

8.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.35 ¥2.38

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$7.33 ¥49.09

-20.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.32 ¥8.81

21.97%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$19.7K ¥131.8K

16.05%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$17.8K ¥119.4K

50.07%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$56.4 ¥377

15.67%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$8.95 ¥60.0

236.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$14.53 ¥97.3

155.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$39.46 ¥264

51.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$24.00 ¥161

10.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$7.64 ¥51.1

-7.85%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$658 ¥4,407

-29.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$24.3K ¥162.4K

-45.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$65.8 ¥441

15.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$38.10 ¥255

46.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$85.7 ¥574

30.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$124 ¥831

-2.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$985 ¥6,596

11.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$535 ¥3,581

34.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$2,338 ¥15.7K

8.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$1,108 ¥7,422

16.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$12.5K ¥83.7K

-68.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$6,363 ¥42.6K

-67.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$1,663 ¥11.1K

-37.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.21

252.02%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $985 in Beijing (Pekin). 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 60% higher in Beijing (Pekin), which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $229 – making Beijing (Pekin) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Beijing (Pekin): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,765 in Beijing (Pekin). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Beijing (Pekin), especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $30.00 in Beijing (Pekin). That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,660 in Mexico City and $1,177 in Beijing (Pekin). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Beijing (Pekin), where all-in costs run around $1,177, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Beijing (Pekin) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Beijing (Pekin) – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Beijing (Pekin). If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.