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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $789 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $904 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,020 in Bentota.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 110% more expensive than in Bentota, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Bentota is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$4.50 LKR 1,489

164.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$12.05 LKR 3,985

328.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.63 LKR 2,524

49.54%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$2.41 LKR 796

65.56%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.69 LKR 229

140.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.27 LKR 90.0

392.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$2.26 LKR 747

53.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.08 LKR 1,019

91.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$1.56 LKR 516

20.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$0.53 LKR 177

513.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.76 LKR 253

184.21%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.68 LKR 554

72.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$13.30 LKR 4,398

-3.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.37 LKR 1,116

198.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$4.65 LKR 1,536

241.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$6.75 LKR 2,231

-51.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$0.73 LKR 240

175.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$4.22 LKR 1,397

-47.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$0.94 LKR 310

151.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$1.00 LKR 332

105.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$0.74 LKR 246

156.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.95 LKR 313

69.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.49 LKR 161

185.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$10.48 LKR 3,465

-47.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$13.66 LKR 4,517

29.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$1.89 LKR 625

8.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$2.89 LKR 955

61.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.16 LKR 53.3

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.42 LKR 138

400.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.31 LKR 104

80.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$0.96 LKR 316

505.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.30 LKR 429

23.85%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

-23.99%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$42.7K LKR 14.1M

-37.32%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$55.7 LKR 18.4K

17.02%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$2.25 LKR 743

1237.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$9.04 LKR 2,988

311.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.51 LKR 1,491

56.10%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$38.39 LKR 12.7K

1110.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$1,223 LKR 404.4K

985.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$20.45 LKR 6,761

271.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$17.04 LKR 5,635

228.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$80.4 LKR 26.6K

39.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$42.01 LKR 13.9K

186.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$547 LKR 180.9K

101.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$309 LKR 102.2K

133.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

12.69

-10.95%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bentota: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $547 in Bentota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in Bentota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $218 per month, with Bentota 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 Bentota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $1,183 in Bentota to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $547 in Bentota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $789 in Bentota – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $789 in Bentota versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Bentota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.