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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $670 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,074 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,478 in Chengdu, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 121% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Chengdu is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$2.84 ¥19.42

357.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$24.02 ¥165

120.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$4.78 ¥32.72

103.35%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.77 ¥19.01

35.38%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.43 ¥2.95

265.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.30 ¥2.08

276.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.13 ¥7.75

181.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.04 ¥13.97

128.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.82 ¥12.45

-10.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.45 ¥9.92

86.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.92 ¥6.32

104.35%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.94 ¥13.28

29.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$13.50 ¥92.5

-25.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.52 ¥24.11

135.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$11.22 ¥76.8

6.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.92 ¥13.16

48.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.23 ¥8.39

42.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.49 ¥10.24

39.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.08 ¥7.40

82.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.69 ¥4.75

213.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.71 ¥4.84

207.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.56 ¥3.84

148.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.60 ¥4.14

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$3.39 ¥23.21

23.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$5.58 ¥38.20

155.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.00 ¥6.88

76.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.79 ¥12.26

105.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.43 ¥2.96

-9.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$27.53 ¥189

-32.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.28 ¥8.79

8.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.26 ¥1.77

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$4.26 ¥29.16

27.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.18 ¥8.07

14.41%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$18.7K ¥127.9K

1.13%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$16.3K ¥111.9K

41.68%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$43.81 ¥300

-6.82%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$11.49 ¥78.7

139.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$11.73 ¥80.3

158.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$24.26 ¥166

120.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$11.27 ¥77.2

133.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$5.73 ¥39.23

9.42%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$340 ¥2,326

28.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$12.2K ¥83.4K

-13.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$37.27 ¥255

52.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$39.16 ¥268

14.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$65.7 ¥450

56.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$50.4 ¥345

113.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$308 ¥2,112

224.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$181 ¥1,242

242.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$622 ¥4,258

243.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$330 ¥2,263

273.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$3,887 ¥26.6K

-0.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$2,045 ¥14.0K

14.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$1,210 ¥8,287

-11.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.21

169.36%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $308 in Chengdu. 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 13% higher in Chengdu, 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $24.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $197 – making Chengdu 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 Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City, $670 in Chengdu – roughly 121% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,006 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $24.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,484 in Mexico City and $670 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chengdu, where all-in costs run around $670, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Chengdu 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 $670 in Chengdu to $1,484 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. 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.