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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $672 in Benxi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $928 in Benxi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $1,185 in Benxi, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 116% more than Benxi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Benxi is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$225

$2.77 ¥18.77

367.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$908

$20.55 ¥139

154.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$168

$5.01 ¥33.89

93.41%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.1

$2.62 ¥17.72

43.13%

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

$1.56 MX$27.14

$0.46 ¥3.11

239.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.10

$0.29 ¥1.96

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$56.3

$0.68 ¥4.61

376.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$85.0

$1.65 ¥11.14

196.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.54

$1.78 ¥12.06

-4.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$46.30

$1.08 ¥7.30

147.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.77

$0.75 ¥5.09

152.00%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.74

$1.06 ¥7.20

137.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$174

$9.10 ¥61.6

10.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$148

$2.75 ¥18.58

210.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$207

$8.56 ¥57.9

39.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.6

$1.41 ¥9.58

110.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.14

$1.31 ¥8.85

36.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.69

$1.50 ¥10.15

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.03

$1.23 ¥8.34

59.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.53

$0.55 ¥3.69

292.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.38

$1.78 ¥12.02

27.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.34

$1.16 ¥7.82

20.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.34

$0.61 ¥4.13

81.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.9

$2.75 ¥18.64

52.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$287

$7.95 ¥53.8

108.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.19

$0.54 ¥3.69

211.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$62.3

$0.97 ¥6.53

270.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$0.27 ¥1.82

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

$11.28 ¥76.4

70.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.98

$0.86 ¥5.80

60.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.24

$0.26 ¥1.76

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$93.5

$3.40 ¥22.99

58.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.32

$1.05 ¥7.12

22.86%

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

$18.9K MX$327.9K

$18.4K ¥124.4K

2.78%

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

$23.8K MX$413.0K

$17.0K ¥115.3K

39.71%

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

$39.86 MX$692

$51.6 ¥349

-22.75%

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

$27.83 MX$483

$6.45 ¥43.62

331.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$517

$9.59 ¥64.9

210.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$902

$62.3 ¥422

-16.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$455

$7.83 ¥53.0

234.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$4.99 ¥33.76

25.65%

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

$433 MX$7,508

$423 ¥2,861

2.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.9K

$8,340 ¥56.4K

26.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$989

$28.04 ¥190

103.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$787

$30.98 ¥210

46.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,768

$56.0 ¥379

81.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,883

$48.31 ¥327

124.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.2K

$124 ¥840

700.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.7K

$186 ¥1,258

231.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$36.2K

$243 ¥1,645

758.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.8K

$139 ¥939

805.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$68.3K

$3,154 ¥21.3K

24.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$36.2K

$1,725 ¥11.7K

21.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.6K

$444 ¥3,007

154.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

183.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Benxi: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $124 in Benxi. 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 155% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $21.00 in Benxi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $167 – making Benxi 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 Benxi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 116% more than Benxi, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $1,007 in Benxi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Mexico City and $423 in Benxi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Benxi, where all-in costs run around $672, than in Mexico City at $1,448. In Benxi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Benxi costs $672 versus $1,448 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Benxi. 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.