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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $455 in Chingola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $776 in Chingola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,097 in Chingola.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 262% more expensive than in Chingola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Chingola is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$16.07 ZMW 307

-24.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$25.85 ZMW 494

102.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$0.54 ZMW 10.37

218.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.38 ZMW 7.30

263.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$0.65 ZMW 12.35

433.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$1.30 ZMW 24.90

346.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$1.88 ZMW 35.94

-1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$1.28 ZMW 24.37

151.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$2.58 ZMW 49.35

-18.99%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$1.93 ZMW 36.95

50.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$5.16 ZMW 98.5

95.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$4.85 ZMW 92.7

227.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.08 ZMW 39.72

59.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$2.15 ZMW 40.98

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$2.07 ZMW 39.60

5.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$2.15 ZMW 41.11

13.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$3.13 ZMW 59.8

-30.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$1.59 ZMW 30.44

19.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.88 ZMW 16.85

53.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$1.54 ZMW 29.42

252.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$5.34 ZMW 102

229.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$0.65 ZMW 12.49

218.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$0.81 ZMW 15.56

486.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.60 ZMW 11.45

-3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$10.57 ZMW 202

-43.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.41 ZMW 26.96

14.89%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$53.4 ZMW 1,020

22.20%

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

$29.87 MX$505

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$10.59 ZMW 202

476.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

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

$453 MX$7,664

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$21.26 ZMW 406

252.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$13.00 ZMW 248

325.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$53.4 ZMW 1,020

112.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$79.5 ZMW 1,518

54.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$15.7K ZMW 299.0K

-86.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$115 ZMW 2,192

812.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chingola: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 812% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $26.00 in Chingola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $171 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 262% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 812% 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 102% 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 $26.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $455 in Chingola versus $1,646 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 262% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.