Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Boroko

For one person, living is cheaper in Boroko: $868 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Boroko
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Boroko Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Boroko

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$868

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Boroko

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Boroko actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $868 in Boroko, rent included.

Mexico City $1,608
Boroko $868

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $1,259 in Boroko, rent included.

Mexico City $2,549
Boroko $1,259

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $1,649 in Boroko, rent included.

Mexico City $3,490
Boroko $1,649

Mexico City costs about 85% more than Boroko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 18% above the global median, while Boroko is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 MX$198

$7.29 PGK 31.67

45.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.35 MX$901

$34.42 PGK 149

40.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 MX$193

$5.35 PGK 23.26

93.46%

Cappuccino

$3.69 MX$68.8

$2.48 PGK 10.76

48.79%

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

$1.67 MX$31.07

$0.71 PGK 3.06

135.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.59

$0.64 PGK 2.78

98.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$59.5

$2.58 PGK 11.22

23.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MX$98.9

$3.42 PGK 14.85

55.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$32.15

$1.50 PGK 6.51

14.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 MX$56.7

$1.16 PGK 5.02

162.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.19

$1.16 PGK 5.03

67.24%

Eggs

$2.89 MX$53.8

$3.55 PGK 15.40

-18.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 MX$205

$4.98 PGK 21.65

120.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 MX$172

$4.79 PGK 20.79

93.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 MX$282

$6.61 PGK 28.72

128.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MX$56.8

$3.85 PGK 16.70

-20.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.19

$3.08 PGK 13.38

-37.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.75

$2.72 PGK 11.80

-25.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$43.15

$2.70 PGK 11.74

-14.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$37.94

$2.82 PGK 12.24

-27.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MX$33.55

$0.84 PGK 3.65

114.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.58

$1.12 PGK 4.86

32.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.63

$0.42 PGK 1.83

202.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 MX$98.9

$5.42 PGK 23.53

-2.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 MX$300

$4.95 PGK 21.52

225.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$36.97

$1.07 PGK 4.67

85.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$79.3

$1.49 PGK 6.48

185.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.69

$0.42 PGK 1.83

-26.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 MX$368

$28.88 PGK 125

-31.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MX$34.25

$4.40 PGK 19.11

-58.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.94

$1.34 PGK 5.83

-60.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$98.7

$10.97 PGK 47.66

-51.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$28.16

$0.80 PGK 3.47

88.75%

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

$21.8K MX$405.5K

$35.7K PGK 155.0K

-39.05%

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

$24.0K MX$447.1K

$17.6K PGK 76.4K

36.28%

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

$63.0 MX$1,174

$61.6 PGK 267

2.26%

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

$27.39 MX$511

$20.71 PGK 90.0

32.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 MX$665

$82.1 PGK 357

-56.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 MX$1,099

$41.86 PGK 182

40.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.64 MX$441

$14.29 PGK 62.1

65.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$119

$6.47 PGK 28.09

-1.08%

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

$432 MX$8,045

$333 PGK 1,445

29.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$212.9K

$2,215 PGK 9,621

415.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 MX$1,272

$34.50 PGK 150

97.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MX$990

$12.91 PGK 56.1

311.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$2,009

$44.28 PGK 192

143.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,186

$26.31 PGK 114

345.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 MX$20.8K

$3,336 PGK 14.5K

-66.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MX$13.2K

$221 PGK 959

221.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 MX$48.2K

$3,257 PGK 14.1K

-20.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 MX$26.2K

$218 PGK 947

544.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,631 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,135 MX$39.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$17.6K

$352 PGK 1,530

168.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

3.18%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Boroko: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$710 44.2%

Boroko

$221 25.4% 68.9% $490

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$320 19.9%

Boroko

$204 23.5% 36.1% $115

Eating Out

Mexico City

$199 12.4%

Boroko

$129 14.9% 34.9% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$156 9.7%

Boroko

$53 6.1% 65.9% $103

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 7.8%

Boroko

$164 18.9% 30.4% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$72 4.5%

Boroko

$55 6.3% 23.6% $17

Getting Around

Mexico City

$25 1.6%

Boroko

$42 4.8% 63.7% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $3,336 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 in Mexico City are about 2.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City versus $34 in Boroko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $204 – making Boroko the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇵🇬 Boroko

🕒 Local time

16:10 4:10 PM

08:10 8:10 AM

16 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

1 PGK = 0.23 USD

1 PGK = 0.207 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PGK, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Papua New Guinean Kina exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 4.34 PGK (1 PGK = 0.23 USD). 1 EUR = 4.84 PGK (1 PGK = 0.207 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mexico City Boroko 12,830 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Boroko

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 85% more than Boroko, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $1,302 in Boroko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,113 there versus $3,336 in Boroko.

Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Mexico City and $333 in Boroko. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Mexico City, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,608 in Mexico City and $868 in Boroko. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $868 in Boroko to $1,608 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Boroko. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.