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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $1,050 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,731 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $2,411 in Duncans, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 60% more than Duncans, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Duncans is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$16.03 JMD 2,518

-24.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$76.8 JMD 12.1K

-29.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$8.82 JMD 1,385

25.74%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$5.21 JMD 819

-21.31%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.25 JMD 196

34.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.68 JMD 107

104.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.17 JMD 341

53.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$3.09 JMD 486

90.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$4.14 JMD 650

-55.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$3.68 JMD 578

-13.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.65 JMD 260

25.45%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$3.47 JMD 544

-15.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$11.35 JMD 1,782

10.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.16 JMD 967

64.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$10.14 JMD 1,592

58.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$6.19 JMD 972

-45.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$3.96 JMD 622

-47.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$7.42 JMD 1,165

-71.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$3.10 JMD 488

-22.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$3.29 JMD 517

-35.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$2.69 JMD 422

-25.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$3.05 JMD 479

-49.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$1.44 JMD 227

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$9.50 JMD 1,492

-39.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$11.16 JMD 1,753

58.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$2.85 JMD 447

-27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$4.09 JMD 643

12.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.23 JMD 193

66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$3.07 JMD 483

-81.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$6.41 JMD 1,007

-5.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.41 JMD 221

9.93%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$44.9K JMD 7.1M

-49.07%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$32.6K JMD 5.1M

-16.50%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$177 JMD 27.8K

-61.95%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$29.71 JMD 4,666

3.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$52.2 JMD 8,196

-28.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$13.21 JMD 2,075

-46.18%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$363 JMD 57.0K

25.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$8,328 JMD 1.3M

64.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$23.73 JMD 3,727

212.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$31.30 JMD 4,916

82.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

48.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$104 JMD 16.3K

16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

9.45

19.58%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Duncans: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $77.0 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $383 – making Mexico City 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 Duncans: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $1,576 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,677 in Mexico City and $1,050 in Duncans. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $456 per month in Mexico City and $363 in Duncans. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Duncans, where all-in costs run around $1,050, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In Duncans it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Duncans – 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 Duncans. 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.