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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $650 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $877 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,104 in Bentota.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 123% more expensive than Bentota, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Bentota is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.96 LKR 1,323

227.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$13.18 LKR 4,395

299.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$8.27 LKR 2,759

14.03%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.64 LKR 879

35.23%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.73 LKR 243

120.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.38 LKR 126

202.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.32 LKR 775

35.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.37 LKR 1,124

44.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.72 LKR 573

-1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.52 LKR 173

407.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.87 LKR 289

118.39%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.13 LKR 710

19.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$14.29 LKR 4,768

-29.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.70 LKR 1,235

124.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$4.99 LKR 1,666

131.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$7.69 LKR 2,564

-60.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$0.88 LKR 292

94.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$5.66 LKR 1,888

-63.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.03 LKR 343

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.12 LKR 372

83.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.38 LKR 460

57.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.20 LKR 401

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.55 LKR 185

103.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$9.86 LKR 3,290

-56.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$12.57 LKR 4,192

22.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.10 LKR 700

-20.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.89 LKR 962

27.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.20 LKR 66.9

90.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.39 LKR 129

253.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.33 LKR 110

-15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$0.61 LKR 204

788.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.26 LKR 421

1.59%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

-29.89%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$34.3K LKR 11.4M

-31.60%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$59.1 LKR 19.7K

-30.57%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$2.49 LKR 831

981.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$10.17 LKR 3,392

191.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.40 LKR 1,134

81.76%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$36.38 LKR 12.1K

1074.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$441 LKR 147.0K

2327.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$27.48 LKR 9,166

106.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$19.29 LKR 6,436

132.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$69.7 LKR 23.2K

49.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$38.85 LKR 13.0K

172.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$243 LKR 80.9K

310.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$152 LKR 50.8K

307.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bentota: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $243 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 $288 vs $241 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 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $975 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $243 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 $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $650 in Bentota – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $650 in Bentota versus $1,447 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 123% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.