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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,466 per month in Mexico City vs $634 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,325 per month in Mexico City vs $1,031 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,184 per month in Mexico City vs $1,429 in Chongqing, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 131% more than Chongqing, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Chongqing is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$230

$2.73 ¥18.66

387.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$21.15 ¥145

154.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.98 ¥34.09

89.16%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.2

$2.38 ¥16.25

50.84%

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

$1.62 MX$28.11

$0.44 ¥3.00

268.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.48

$0.29 ¥1.98

286.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$0.95 ¥6.50

242.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

$2.13 ¥14.57

118.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.35

$1.78 ¥12.16

-7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$45.98

$1.25 ¥8.52

112.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.97

$0.73 ¥4.96

168.49%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.06

$1.86 ¥12.70

36.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

$15.87 ¥109

-37.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

$2.51 ¥17.14

234.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

$10.37 ¥70.9

14.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.59

$1.48 ¥10.11

93.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.03

$1.31 ¥8.94

32.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.48

$1.07 ¥7.34

85.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.49

$1.13 ¥7.75

81.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.62

$0.65 ¥4.44

216.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.52

$0.90 ¥6.12

153.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.04

$0.54 ¥3.67

168.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$0.63 ¥4.31

73.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.15 ¥21.57

35.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

$8.89 ¥60.8

65.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.56

$0.96 ¥6.56

83.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

$1.98 ¥13.55

80.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.66

$0.27 ¥1.84

40.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$324

$25.11 ¥172

-25.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.07

$1.41 ¥9.61

-1.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.25

$0.30 ¥2.03

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

$2.71 ¥18.54

99.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.21

$1.11 ¥7.59

20.72%

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

$18.9K MX$326.5K

$18.3K ¥125.4K

2.84%

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

$23.2K MX$401.8K

$16.3K ¥111.5K

42.27%

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

$40.30 MX$698

$35.98 ¥246

12.01%

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

$27.15 MX$470

$6.04 ¥41.33

349.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$510

$8.45 ¥57.8

248.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$913

$21.73 ¥149

142.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$453

$15.95 ¥109

64.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

$5.46 ¥37.31

13.19%

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

$441 MX$7,633

$331 ¥2,264

33.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.3K

$27.4K ¥187.5K

-60.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$991

$29.34 ¥201

95.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$780

$28.75 ¥197

56.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,792

$58.5 ¥400

77.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,883

$60.0 ¥410

81.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

$266 ¥1,818

276.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$10.9K

$158 ¥1,083

299.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

$582 ¥3,979

267.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.7K

$324 ¥2,214

287.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

$2,569 ¥17.6K

45.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.2K

$1,657 ¥11.3K

43.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

$1,041 ¥7,123

3.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.74

203.21%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $266 in Chongqing. 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 4% 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 in Mexico City versus $21 in Chongqing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $197 – making Chongqing 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 Chongqing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 131%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,199 per month in Mexico City and $951 in Chongqing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $441 per month in Mexico City and $331 in Chongqing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chongqing, where all-in costs run around $634, than in Mexico City at $1,466. In Chongqing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chongqing – 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 Chongqing. 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.