Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and the Canaries

For one person, living is cheaper in the Canaries: $185 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $17,100 less a year.

78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
Learn more

Mexico City Living Index

Jump to prices

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Canaries

🇱🇨 Saint Lucia

$185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in the Canaries

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 the Canaries actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $185 in the Canaries, rent included.

Mexico City $1,608
Canaries $185

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $278 in the Canaries, rent included.

Mexico City $2,549
Canaries $278

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $370 in the Canaries, rent included.

Mexico City $3,490
Canaries $370

Mexico City costs about 768% more than the Canaries.

Mexico City sits 18% above the global median, while Canaries is 86% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 MX$199

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.35 MX$908

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 MX$194

Cappuccino

$3.69 MX$69.3

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

$1.67 MX$31.29

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.76

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MX$99.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$32.38

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 MX$57.1

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.44

Eggs

$2.89 MX$54.2

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 MX$206

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 MX$174

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 MX$284

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MX$57.2

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.45

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$38.02

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$43.46

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$38.21

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MX$33.79

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.77

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 MX$99.6

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 MX$302

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$37.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$79.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.73

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 MX$371

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MX$34.50

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$10.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$99.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$28.36

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

$21.8K MX$408.4K

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

$24.0K MX$450.3K

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

$63.0 MX$1,182

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

$27.39 MX$514

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 MX$670

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 MX$1,107

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.64 MX$444

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$120

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

$432 MX$8,103

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$214.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 MX$1,281

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MX$997

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$2,023

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,202

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 MX$20.9K

$183 EC$494

508.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MX$13.3K

$185 EC$500

283.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 MX$48.6K

$297 EC$803

770.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 MX$26.4K

$370 EC$1,000

279.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,631 MX$68.2K

$186 EC$502

1851.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,135 MX$40.1K

$259 EC$699

725.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for the Canaries: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$710 44.2%

Canaries

–

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$320 19.9%

Canaries

–

Eating Out

Mexico City

$199 12.4%

Canaries

–

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$156 9.7%

Canaries

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 7.8%

Canaries

–

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$72 4.5%

Canaries

–

Getting Around

Mexico City

$25 1.6%

Canaries

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $183 in the Canaries. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇱🇨 Canaries

🕒 Local time

16:03 4:03 PM

18:03 6:03 PM

2 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

1,862

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.332 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XCD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.01 XCD (1 XCD = 0.332 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mexico City Canaries 4,090 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Canaries

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 Canaries: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 768% more than the Canaries, 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 $278 in the Canaries. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in the Canaries, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $183 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in the Canaries, where all-in costs run around $185, than in Mexico City at $1,608. In Canaries it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $185 in the Canaries to $1,608 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.