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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $655 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $874 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,093 in Bentota.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 127% more expensive than Bentota, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Bentota is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$3.93 LKR 1,254

230.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$13.29 LKR 4,239

299.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$8.57 LKR 2,734

13.42%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.67 LKR 851

40.45%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.74 LKR 237

112.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.41 LKR 130

175.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.30 LKR 735

38.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$3.42 LKR 1,090

36.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.78 LKR 569

-8.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.53 LKR 168

411.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.88 LKR 281

113.64%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.12 LKR 675

18.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$13.82 LKR 4,406

-27.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.59 LKR 1,145

130.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$5.13 LKR 1,637

132.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$7.43 LKR 2,368

-61.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.88 LKR 280

98.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$5.76 LKR 1,838

-63.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.02 LKR 325

93.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.15 LKR 366

87.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.36 LKR 434

60.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.15 LKR 365

20.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.56 LKR 180

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$9.87 LKR 3,146

-57.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$12.71 LKR 4,052

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.00 LKR 637

-12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.98 LKR 951

23.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.22 LKR 69.6

77.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.41 LKR 132

239.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.33 LKR 104

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$0.61 LKR 195

788.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.20 LKR 382

12.50%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

-30.61%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

-32.36%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

-33.01%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$2.48 LKR 790

1008.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$10.09 LKR 3,219

201.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$3.29 LKR 1,049

90.58%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$36.66 LKR 11.7K

1089.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$449 LKR 143.2K

2230.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$27.82 LKR 8,870

104.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$19.42 LKR 6,194

130.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$69.1 LKR 22.0K

48.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$38.52 LKR 12.3K

180.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$241 LKR 76.9K

314.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$150 LKR 48.0K

312.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

16.45

-31.06%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bentota: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $241 in Bentota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $13.00 in Bentota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $239 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 127% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,225 in Mexico City and $982 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $241 in Bentota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $655 in Bentota – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $655 in Bentota versus $1,484 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 127% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.