Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Chengalpattu Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Chengalpattu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $376 in Chengalpattu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $609 in Chengalpattu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $843 in Chengalpattu, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 288% more than Chengalpattu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Chengalpattu is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$2.29 ₹220

470.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$10.34 ₹998

419.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$3.62 ₹349

167.40%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.54 ₹148

142.86%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.42 ₹40.84

285.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.18 ₹17.62

544.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.78 ₹172

81.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$3.10 ₹299

52.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$0.66 ₹64.0

150.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.46 ₹44.09

497.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$0.68 ₹65.5

175.00%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.07 ₹103

133.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$4.89 ₹472

108.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.04 ₹293

171.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.04 ₹196

47.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$0.68 ₹65.3

166.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.00 ₹96.3

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.51 ₹49.10

292.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.35 ₹34.15

494.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.42 ₹40.37

440.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.49 ₹46.97

197.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.35 ₹33.38

208.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.98 ₹384

9.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$4.14 ₹399

310.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.77 ₹171

-2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.92 ₹282

22.60%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.24 ₹506

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.30 ₹29.31

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$8.62 ₹831

116.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.79 ₹76.3

68.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.24 ₹23.04

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$1.41 ₹136

272.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.20 ₹115

11.67%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$14.0K ₹1.4M

38.33%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$21.9K ₹2.1M

8.99%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$38.95 ₹3,756

4.47%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$3.45 ₹332

678.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$7.26 ₹700

320.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$16.10 ₹1,553

227.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$7.08 ₹683

276.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$2.88 ₹277

126.04%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$51.7 ₹4,989

727.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$1,547 ₹149.2K

578.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$24.65 ₹2,378

132.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$24.73 ₹2,384

83.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$43.15 ₹4,161

141.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$32.21 ₹3,106

234.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$125 ₹12.1K

702.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$75.2 ₹7,249

728.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$274 ₹26.4K

670.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$178 ₹17.1K

585.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$723 ₹69.7K

437.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$454 ₹43.8K

347.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$598 ₹57.6K

73.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

8.67

30.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chengalpattu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $125 in Chengalpattu. 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 74% higher in Mexico City, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $10.00 in Chengalpattu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $100 – making Chengalpattu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chengalpattu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 288%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $564 in Chengalpattu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 117% less in Chengalpattu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $51.7 in Chengalpattu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chengalpattu, where all-in costs run around $376, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Chengalpattu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chengalpattu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chengalpattu. 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.