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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,524 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $3,870 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $5,215 in Douglas.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 41% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Douglas 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$30.22 IMP 22.39

-57.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$107 IMP 79.0

-50.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$9.62 IMP 7.13

1.04%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$5.27 IMP 3.91

-28.84%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$2.71 IMP 2.01

-42.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$1.92 IMP 1.42

-41.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$6.86 IMP 5.08

-53.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$6.05 IMP 4.48

-22.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.02 IMP 1.50

-19.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.94 IMP 1.43

39.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.95 IMP 1.44

-3.59%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$4.38 IMP 3.25

-42.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$6.59 IMP 4.88

52.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$8.10 IMP 6.01

2.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$11.59 IMP 8.59

3.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.43 IMP 1.80

17.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.77 IMP 1.31

-1.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.56 IMP 1.90

-18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$2.84 IMP 2.10

-30.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$2.35 IMP 1.74

-8.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.59 IMP 1.92

-15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.66 IMP 1.23

-16.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$2.04 IMP 1.51

-45.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$22.74 IMP 16.85

-81.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$12.35 IMP 9.15

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$4.11 IMP 3.04

-57.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$3.81 IMP 2.82

-3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$3.02 IMP 2.24

-87.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$76.9 IMP 57.0

-75.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$5.15 IMP 3.82

-73.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.47 IMP 1.09

-79.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$82.8 IMP 61.3

-93.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$2.25 IMP 1.66

-40.00%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$35.2K IMP 26.0K

-46.28%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$35.0K IMP 26.0K

-33.90%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$305 IMP 226

-86.62%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$37.92 IMP 28.10

-27.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$71.4 IMP 52.9

-57.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$63.1 IMP 46.73

-15.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$20.32 IMP 15.06

29.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$13.69 IMP 10.15

-54.20%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$1,325 IMP 982

-67.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$32.2K IMP 23.9K

-67.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$97.0 IMP 71.9

-41.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$42.24 IMP 31.30

6.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$123 IMP 91.1

-16.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$76.8 IMP 56.9

40.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$1,202 IMP 891

-16.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$1,086 IMP 805

-42.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$2,131 IMP 1,579

0.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$1,933 IMP 1,433

-36.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$4,151 IMP 3,076

-6.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$3,219 IMP 2,385

-27.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$3,263 IMP 2,418

-67.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.66

209.84%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Douglas: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $1,202 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 206% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $107 in Douglas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $303 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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Douglas earns 206% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $1,202 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $2,524 in Douglas – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 312% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,524 in Douglas, a $2,000 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 70% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.