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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $625 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,022 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,418 in Chongqing, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 135% more than Chongqing, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Chongqing is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$231

$2.75 ¥18.57

379.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$943

$21.19 ¥143

154.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$165

$4.83 ¥32.69

95.03%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$62.1

$2.43 ¥16.44

46.09%

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

$1.62 MX$28.30

$0.41 ¥2.77

295.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.49

$0.29 ¥1.99

282.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.6

$1.02 ¥6.89

205.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$81.0

$2.12 ¥14.36

118.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.77

$1.75 ¥11.86

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.56

$1.27 ¥8.56

114.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.45

$0.67 ¥4.56

185.07%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.37

$1.85 ¥12.52

37.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$176

$15.97 ¥108

-37.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$142

$2.56 ¥17.35

216.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$203

$10.12 ¥68.5

14.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.9

$1.50 ¥10.15

98.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.61

$1.34 ¥9.07

35.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.22

$1.11 ¥7.52

81.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.60

$1.07 ¥7.26

89.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$37.17

$0.70 ¥4.75

202.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.71

$0.89 ¥6.05

155.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.50

$0.53 ¥3.57

164.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.78

$0.67 ¥4.52

68.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.7

$3.09 ¥20.92

38.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$272

$8.66 ¥58.6

79.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.74

$1.03 ¥6.99

70.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.9

$2.03 ¥13.75

77.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.70

$0.27 ¥1.80

40.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$336

$24.86 ¥168

-22.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.07

$1.35 ¥9.15

2.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.84

$0.32 ¥2.17

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$95.3

$2.74 ¥18.52

98.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.82

$1.15 ¥7.77

13.04%

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

$18.7K MX$327.0K

$18.1K ¥122.4K

3.27%

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

$23.1K MX$404.7K

$16.7K ¥112.7K

38.81%

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

$40.86 MX$715

$37.18 ¥252

9.90%

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

$26.81 MX$469

$5.99 ¥40.54

347.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$524

$8.54 ¥57.8

250.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$910

$21.92 ¥148

137.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$470

$15.77 ¥107

70.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$110

$5.56 ¥37.59

13.31%

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

$436 MX$7,631

$338 ¥2,287

29.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$182.3K

$27.2K ¥183.8K

-61.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$991

$29.14 ¥197

94.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$777

$28.87 ¥195

53.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,801

$58.5 ¥396

75.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,846

$59.8 ¥405

76.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.9K

$262 ¥1,771

290.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$11.0K

$163 ¥1,102

287.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.4K

$567 ¥3,835

276.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.7K

$325 ¥2,202

281.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.3K

$2,782 ¥18.8K

40.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$36.1K

$1,736 ¥11.7K

18.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.5K

$1,093 ¥7,393

2.04%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $262 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 2% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $21.00 in Chongqing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 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 135%, 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $938 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 $436 per month in Mexico City and $338 in Chongqing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $625, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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.