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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $887 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,367 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,848 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 64% more than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Chang-hua is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$3.77 NT$122

246.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$26.71 NT$862

101.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$5.84 NT$189

65.75%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.86 NT$60.1

101.08%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.91 NT$29.39

78.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.43 NT$13.85

169.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.44 NT$46.51

124.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.08 NT$67.2

127.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$2.76 NT$89.0

-40.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.88 NT$60.6

46.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$3.13 NT$101

-40.26%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.79 NT$90.1

-10.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$17.71 NT$572

-42.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.81 NT$252

5.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$19.98 NT$645

-40.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$5.04 NT$163

-40.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$2.97 NT$95.8

-39.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.77 NT$89.4

-27.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$3.10 NT$100

-35.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$2.65 NT$85.4

-21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$2.17 NT$70.2

4.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.98 NT$63.8

-26.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.81 NT$26.10

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$4.15 NT$134

4.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$9.07 NT$293

87.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.55 NT$49.97

11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.35 NT$76.0

52.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.72 NT$55.5

-77.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$36.55 NT$1,180

-48.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$2.89 NT$93.4

-53.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.72 NT$23.40

-61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$10.29 NT$332

-48.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.08 NT$34.72

24.07%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$37.3K NT$1.2M

-48.02%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$26.9K NT$867.8K

-11.37%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$34.24 NT$1,105

18.84%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$18.64 NT$602

44.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$19.98 NT$645

52.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$25.57 NT$825

106.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$15.29 NT$494

74.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$10.36 NT$334

-37.16%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$636 NT$20.5K

-32.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$8,532 NT$275.4K

23.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$53.7 NT$1,734

6.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$16.77 NT$541

171.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$84.5 NT$2,726

23.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$54.8 NT$1,770

96.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$310 NT$10.0K

223.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$184 NT$5,925

239.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$533 NT$17.2K

295.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$187 NT$6,032

551.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,945 NT$95.0K

31.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$1,608 NT$51.9K

26.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$2,032 NT$65.6K

-48.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

2.19

417.81%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $310 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 96% 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 $27.00 in Chang-hua. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Mexico City vs $352 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 64% 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,330 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 $1,456 in Mexico City and $887 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 96% 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 $887, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $887 versus $1,456 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.