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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $898 in Boroko, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,289 in Boroko, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,680 in Boroko, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 87% more than Boroko, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Boroko is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$7.21 PGK 31.27

68.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$36.26 PGK 157

48.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$5.77 PGK 25.04

92.20%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.45 PGK 10.65

67.35%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.77 PGK 3.36

118.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.65 PGK 2.84

113.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.77 PGK 12.03

20.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$3.71 PGK 16.11

58.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.57 PGK 6.80

17.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.18 PGK 5.12

168.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.24 PGK 5.38

66.94%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$3.68 PGK 15.96

-20.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$5.21 PGK 22.59

141.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$5.23 PGK 22.68

93.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$6.47 PGK 28.10

148.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$4.03 PGK 17.48

-15.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$3.10 PGK 13.45

-32.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.80 PGK 12.15

-24.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$2.79 PGK 12.11

-13.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$2.99 PGK 12.97

-28.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.86 PGK 3.72

133.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.12 PGK 4.86

38.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.46 PGK 2.00

195.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$5.70 PGK 24.74

1.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$5.03 PGK 21.85

252.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.10 PGK 4.77

88.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.63 PGK 7.06

182.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.47 PGK 2.05

-21.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$30.65 PGK 133

-30.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$4.58 PGK 19.89

-55.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.32 PGK 5.73

-56.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$11.29 PGK 48.99

-46.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.81 PGK 3.51

91.36%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$21.0K PGK 91.2K

8.88%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$17.9K PGK 77.6K

52.35%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$64.0 PGK 278

5.33%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$23.80 PGK 103

28.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$92.3 PGK 401

-59.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$43.35 PGK 188

41.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$14.52 PGK 63.0

86.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$6.61 PGK 28.68

7.56%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$337 PGK 1,462

35.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$2,276 PGK 9,876

501.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$33.26 PGK 144

123.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$13.70 PGK 59.4

316.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$45.48 PGK 197

153.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$26.86 PGK 117

352.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$3,436 PGK 14.9K

-66.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$224 PGK 974

216.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$3,317 PGK 14.4K

-22.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$223 PGK 968

480.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$365 PGK 1,582

196.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.73%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Boroko: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $3,436 in Boroko. 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 197% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $36.00 in Boroko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $212 – making Boroko 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 Boroko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 87% more than Boroko, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $1,348 in Boroko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $456 per month in Mexico City and $337 in Boroko. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% 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 Boroko, where all-in costs run around $898, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In Boroko 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. Boroko costs $898 versus $1,677 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 Boroko. 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.