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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $340 in Chingola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $580 in Chingola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $820 in Chingola.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Chingola is 75% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$12.64 ZMW 226

4.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$20.63 ZMW 368

161.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.39 ZMW 6.99

315.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.30 ZMW 5.37

270.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$0.52 ZMW 9.23

500.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$1.03 ZMW 18.38

349.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.03 ZMW 18.41

65.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.83 ZMW 14.76

227.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.13 ZMW 38.01

-10.33%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.09 ZMW 19.39

133.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$2.02 ZMW 36.09

300.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$3.74 ZMW 66.8

210.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.62 ZMW 28.83

83.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.63 ZMW 29.17

11.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.70 ZMW 30.39

18.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.61 ZMW 28.77

26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$2.43 ZMW 43.30

-12.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.20 ZMW 21.50

89.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.74 ZMW 13.13

52.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.26 ZMW 22.47

238.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$5.43 ZMW 97.0

186.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$0.51 ZMW 9.17

245.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$0.60 ZMW 10.63

500.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.44 ZMW 7.91

-36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$8.40 ZMW 150

-35.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.22 ZMW 21.77

6.56%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

$42.04 ZMW 750

-2.81%

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

$26.81 MX$464

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$8.23 ZMW 147

532.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$16.28 ZMW 291

247.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$10.28 ZMW 184

331.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$41.08 ZMW 733

150.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$62.3 ZMW 1,111

69.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$16.2K ZMW 289.3K

-87.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$121 ZMW 2,161

821.00%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chingola: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 821% 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 $288 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.

Mexico City pays 821% more on average, 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 143% 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 $340 in Chingola versus $1,467 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.