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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $338 in Chingola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $579 in Chingola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $821 in Chingola.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 331% more expensive than in Chingola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Chingola is 75% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$12.20 ZMW 222

7.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$21.15 ZMW 385

154.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.40 ZMW 7.22

305.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.30 ZMW 5.48

286.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$0.48 ZMW 8.66

572.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$1.02 ZMW 18.50

364.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.00 ZMW 18.12

65.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.82 ZMW 14.89

235.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.11 ZMW 38.40

-11.37%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.14 ZMW 20.66

119.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$2.04 ZMW 37.20

304.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$3.65 ZMW 66.4

223.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.68 ZMW 30.53

79.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.67 ZMW 30.45

8.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.64 ZMW 29.94

21.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.69 ZMW 30.79

18.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$2.53 ZMW 46.04

-17.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.22 ZMW 22.21

86.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.69 ZMW 12.50

56.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$1.27 ZMW 23.05

242.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$5.66 ZMW 103

200.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$0.48 ZMW 8.81

260.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$0.60 ZMW 10.95

496.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.45 ZMW 8.17

-37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$8.31 ZMW 151

-36.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.22 ZMW 22.13

9.84%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

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

$40.69 MX$709

$42.20 ZMW 768

-3.58%

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

$26.87 MX$468

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$8.08 ZMW 147

553.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

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

$428 MX$7,454

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$16.57 ZMW 302

245.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$10.28 ZMW 187

342.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$40.97 ZMW 746

153.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$62.6 ZMW 1,139

72.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$16.9K ZMW 306.9K

-87.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$120 ZMW 2,183

765.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chingola: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 765% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $21.00 in Chingola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $119 per month, with Chingola cheaper across the board.

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 Chingola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chingola is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 331% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 765% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 146% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $338 in Chingola versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chingola but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Chingola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chingola is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Chingola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 331% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.