Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Chatham

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $2,947 in Chatham, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Chatham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,947
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,548 per month in Mexico City vs $2,947 in Chatham, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,548
  • Chatham $2,947

A couple spends around $2,436 per month in Mexico City vs $4,017 in Chatham, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,436
  • Chatham $4,017

A family of three spends $3,323 per month in Mexico City vs $5,088 in Chatham, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,323
  • Chatham $5,088

Mexico City is about 47% cheaper than Chatham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Mexico City and Chatham sit above the global median – Mexico City by 14%, Chatham by 118%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Chatham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 MX$204
$13.40 £10.05
-17.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 MX$900
$94.9 £71.2
-48.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 MX$201
$9.85 £7.39
10.66%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.1
$3.75 £2.82
-1.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.18
$2.95 £2.21
-44.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MX$23.07
$1.68 £1.26
-25.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$60.1
$6.38 £4.78
-49.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 MX$102
$6.83 £5.12
-19.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Chatham
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.50
$1.90 £1.43
-10.53%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$2.10 £1.57
43.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.53
$2.10 £1.58
-8.57%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$50.5
$4.09 £3.07
-33.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 MX$218
$10.74 £8.06
9.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 MX$176
$9.29 £6.97
2.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 MX$266
$15.54 £11.66
-7.27%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$3.10 £2.33
-2.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.01
$1.92 £1.44
-1.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.70
$2.71 £2.03
-26.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.38
$3.67 £2.75
-40.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.43
$2.01 £1.51
-4.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.49
$1.82 £1.37
2.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.62
$1.15 £0.86
25.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.39
$1.71 £1.28
-25.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 MX$96.4
$21.64 £16.24
-75.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.17 MX$299
$10.94 £8.21
47.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 MX$35.03
$3.06 £2.29
-37.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 MX$78.0
$2.37 £1.78
78.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Chatham
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.30
$4.04 £3.03
-91.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.65 MX$363
$114 £85.6
-82.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$36.90
$5.10 £3.83
-60.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 MX$9.67
$2.58 £1.94
-79.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 MX$98.7
$20.18 £15.14
-73.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.13
$2.09 £1.56
-27.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K MX$408.0K
$38.9K £29.2K
-43.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$452.9K
$37.1K £27.8K
-33.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Chatham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,129
$287 £215
-78.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.58 MX$528
$16.80 £12.61
70.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.47 MX$637
$26.54 £19.91
29.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Chatham
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,042
$114 £85.8
-50.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.88 MX$460
$9.37 £7.03
165.53%
Cinema Ticket
$6.66 MX$123
$17.40 £13.05
-61.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Chatham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,891
$2,080 £1,561
-79.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$215.0K
$30.4K £22.8K
-61.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Chatham
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 MX$1,253
$91.6 £68.7
-25.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.0 MX$960
$45.69 £34.28
13.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 MX$1,959
$105 £78.4
1.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MX$2,080
$91.5 £68.6
23.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Chatham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 MX$18.9K
$2,050 £1,538
-50.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 MX$12.1K
$1,601 £1,201
-59.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 MX$42.7K
$2,430 £1,823
-4.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 MX$22.9K
$2,090 £1,568
-40.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,613 MX$66.8K
$7,877 £5,909
-54.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,936 MX$35.8K
$7,449 £5,588
-74.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Chatham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$964 MX$17.8K
$2,972 £2,230
-67.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
5.12
120.70%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chatham: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$654
Chatham
$1.6K 145% $946
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$318
Chatham
$323 1.5% $4.8
Eating Out
Mexico City
$204
Chatham
$246 20.6% $42
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$152
Chatham
$150 1.5% $2.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$124
Chatham
$330 166% $206
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Chatham
$149 114% $79
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Chatham
$148 478% $123

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,025 in Mexico City versus $2,050 in Chatham. 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 208% higher in Chatham, 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 $49.00 in Mexico City versus $95.0 in Chatham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $323 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇬🇧 Chatham
🕒 Local time
18:26 6:26 PM
01:26 1:26 AM
7 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
76,792
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Chatham 8,980 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Chatham

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 Chatham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mexico City or Chatham?
Chatham costs about 90% more than Mexico City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mexico City and in Chatham?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,322 per month in Mexico City and $4,421 in Chatham. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Mexico City or Chatham?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Mexico City compared to Chatham?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,548 in Mexico City and $2,947 in Chatham. That's a gap of about 90%.
How expensive is transport in Mexico City compared to Chatham?
Public transport costs about 481% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Mexico City or in Chatham?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,548, than in Chatham at $2,947. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chatham it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mexico City or Chatham?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,548 versus $2,947 in Chatham. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Mexico City compared to Chatham?
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.
Should I move to Mexico City or to Chatham?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chatham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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