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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,614 in Darwin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $3,838 in Darwin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $5,061 in Darwin.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 44% less than in Darwin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Darwin 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$17.98 A$25.06

-26.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$81.3 A$113

-33.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$12.54 A$17.48

-24.88%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.48 A$4.84

2.01%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$2.66 A$3.70

-39.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$3.10 A$4.32

-64.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$6.45 A$8.99

-51.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$7.87 A$10.96

-41.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.19 A$1.66

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$2.70 A$3.77

0.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.14 A$2.98

-10.75%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$4.09 A$5.71

-37.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$9.82 A$13.69

2.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$8.27 A$11.53

-2.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$8.57 A$11.95

35.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$3.58 A$4.99

-17.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$2.92 A$4.07

-38.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$3.57 A$4.98

-43.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$4.51 A$6.28

-54.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$3.07 A$4.28

-30.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.26 A$3.15

0.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$2.16 A$3.01

-35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$2.46 A$3.43

-54.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$25.12 A$35.01

-83.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$12.03 A$16.76

29.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$9.35 A$13.03

-81.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$7.25 A$10.11

-50.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$2.23 A$3.11

-82.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$45.83 A$63.9

-58.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$3.47 A$4.83

-60.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.19 A$1.66

-76.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$45.63 A$63.6

-88.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.15 A$1.60

13.04%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$29.2K A$40.7K

-35.97%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$32.5K A$45.3K

-28.82%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$235 A$327

-82.61%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$35.29 A$49.18

-24.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$60.0 A$83.5

-50.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$74.5 A$104

-30.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$15.92 A$22.18

68.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$15.54 A$21.66

-59.46%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$1,544 A$2,152

-71.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$7,895 A$11.0K

31.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$78.7 A$110

-27.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$45.72 A$63.7

-2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$101 A$140

2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$130 A$181

-18.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$1,606 A$2,238

-36.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$1,318 A$1,836

-52.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$2,784 A$3,880

-23.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$2,232 A$3,111

-44.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$3,918 A$5,459

-0.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$3,577 A$4,985

-42.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$4,263 A$5,941

-73.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.4

77.19%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Darwin: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $1,606 in Darwin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Darwin pays 282% 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 $81.0 in Darwin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $370 per month, with Mexico City 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 Darwin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Darwin earns 282% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $1,606 in Darwin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Darwin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $81.0 in Darwin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,614 in Darwin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Darwin. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Darwin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Darwin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.