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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,752 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $4,183 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $5,614 in Douglas.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 40% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 21% above, Douglas 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$28.84 IMP 21.40

-58.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$123 IMP 91.4

-58.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$12.09 IMP 8.97

-5.62%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$5.18 IMP 3.84

-22.97%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$2.84 IMP 2.11

-41.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$2.14 IMP 1.59

-37.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$6.74 IMP 5.00

-48.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$6.02 IMP 4.47

-1.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$2.61 IMP 1.93

-27.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.74 IMP 2.04

18.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.16 IMP 1.60

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$5.52 IMP 4.10

-47.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$8.38 IMP 6.22

53.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$8.99 IMP 6.67

11.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$13.09 IMP 9.71

21.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$3.00 IMP 2.23

9.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.81 IMP 1.34

11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$3.82 IMP 2.83

-42.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$3.61 IMP 2.68

-34.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$3.12 IMP 2.31

-34.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$3.08 IMP 2.28

-38.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$2.18 IMP 1.61

-26.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$2.74 IMP 2.03

-48.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$23.18 IMP 17.20

-76.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$12.25 IMP 9.09

44.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$4.47 IMP 3.31

-53.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$4.47 IMP 3.32

4.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$2.93 IMP 2.17

-88.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$98.3 IMP 72.9

-78.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$5.28 IMP 3.92

-60.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.51 IMP 1.12

-62.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$80.1 IMP 59.4

-92.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.97 IMP 1.46

-18.27%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$45.7K IMP 33.9K

-50.03%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$44.9K IMP 33.3K

-40.44%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$357 IMP 265

-81.74%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$63.0 IMP 46.76

-52.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$75.6 IMP 56.1

-50.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$65.6 IMP 48.70

-8.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$19.92 IMP 14.78

33.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$16.24 IMP 12.05

-56.65%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$1,798 IMP 1,334

-74.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$53.0K IMP 39.3K

-74.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$100 IMP 74.4

-24.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$46.53 IMP 34.53

20.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$116 IMP 86.1

-3.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$72.2 IMP 53.6

66.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$1,267 IMP 940

-12.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$1,105 IMP 820

-34.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$2,349 IMP 1,743

7.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$2,068 IMP 1,535

-37.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$5,063 IMP 3,757

-21.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$3,958 IMP 2,937

-47.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$3,057 IMP 2,269

-66.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.76

137.39%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Douglas: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $1,267 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 195% 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 $123 in Douglas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $366 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 Douglas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 195% lower in Douglas. 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $1,267 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $2,752 in Douglas – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 372% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,752 in Douglas, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Douglas. 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 Douglas, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Douglas 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 66% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.