Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Chang-hua Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Chang-hua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $896 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,393 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,889 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 87% more than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$4.08 NT$129

197.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$33.14 NT$1,048

62.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$6.10 NT$193

81.80%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.68 NT$53.1

144.05%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.92 NT$29.02

82.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.60 NT$19.11

131.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.38 NT$43.78

141.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$2.26 NT$71.4

160.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$2.32 NT$73.4

-20.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$2.06 NT$65.2

53.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$3.04 NT$96.0

-31.91%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.79 NT$88.4

5.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$16.17 NT$511

-22.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$9.87 NT$312

2.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$22.09 NT$699

-27.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$5.09 NT$161

-33.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$3.27 NT$103

-36.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.94 NT$92.9

-27.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$3.19 NT$101

-24.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$2.82 NT$89.2

-24.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$2.15 NT$68.0

-6.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.75 NT$55.5

-11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.83 NT$26.17

63.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$3.89 NT$123

48.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$9.43 NT$298

88.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.47 NT$46.42

40.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.24 NT$70.9

105.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$1.56 NT$49.20

-76.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$35.25 NT$1,115

-39.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$2.68 NT$84.9

-23.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.76 NT$24.06

-23.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$9.76 NT$309

-37.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.02 NT$32.30

51.96%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$34.4K NT$1.1M

-33.53%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$24.6K NT$778.5K

10.64%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$32.01 NT$1,012

110.59%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$18.21 NT$576

68.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$19.29 NT$610

93.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$33.09 NT$1,047

85.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$9.66 NT$306

-26.40%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$625 NT$19.8K

-26.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$7,903 NT$249.9K

73.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$49.98 NT$1,581

48.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$15.34 NT$485

271.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$78.4 NT$2,479

47.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$51.0 NT$1,614

138.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$254 NT$8,047

351.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$175 NT$5,529

305.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$503 NT$15.9K

412.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$177 NT$5,596

631.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$3,071 NT$97.1K

30.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,703 NT$53.8K

25.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$2,008 NT$63.5K

-46.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.2

413.64%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $254 in Chang-hua. 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 86% higher in Chang-hua, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $33.00 in Chang-hua. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $364 in Chang-hua – so Mexico City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chang-hua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 87% more than Chang-hua, 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 $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $1,344 in Chang-hua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,677 in Mexico City and $896 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 66% less in Chang-hua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chang-hua, where all-in costs run around $896, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In Chang-hua 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. Chang-hua costs $896 versus $1,677 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chang-hua. 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.