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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $894 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,342 per month in Mexico City vs $1,423 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Mexico City vs $1,952 in Duncans, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 66% more than Duncans, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Duncans is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 MX$230

$7.38 JMD 1,168

80.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$931

$61.7 JMD 9,765

-12.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 MX$161

$8.53 JMD 1,350

8.91%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.5

$4.38 JMD 693

-17.58%

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

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.36 JMD 215

14.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.42

$0.74 JMD 118

51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.47 JMD 391

26.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$81.5

$3.11 JMD 492

51.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$4.28 JMD 677

-60.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 MX$47.92

$3.63 JMD 574

-23.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.97

$1.54 JMD 244

27.27%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.11

$3.46 JMD 548

-24.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 MX$172

$10.88 JMD 1,721

-8.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 MX$140

$6.33 JMD 1,003

27.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 MX$199

$7.76 JMD 1,228

48.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.72

$6.04 JMD 956

-52.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.00

$3.09 JMD 488

-44.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.65

$4.18 JMD 662

-52.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.30

$3.07 JMD 486

-33.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.06

$2.10 JMD 333

-0.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.03

$2.02 JMD 320

8.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.18

$3.11 JMD 492

-53.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.44 JMD 229

-25.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$9.00 JMD 1,424

-52.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 MX$248

$11.48 JMD 1,817

24.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.55

$2.90 JMD 459

-39.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MX$64.1

$3.04 JMD 481

21.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 MX$23.13

$1.07 JMD 170

25.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.82

$3.23 JMD 511

-91.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MX$92.4

$6.28 JMD 993

-15.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$1.23 JMD 195

8.94%

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

$19.1K MX$331.2K

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

-55.58%

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

$23.9K MX$413.6K

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-30.14%

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

$39.86 MX$690

$163 JMD 25.8K

-75.51%

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

$26.78 MX$464

$22.03 JMD 3,487

21.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.36 MX$509

$50.7 JMD 8,016

-42.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$925

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.09 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$111

$13.02 JMD 2,061

-50.84%

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

$440 MX$7,629

$229 JMD 36.3K

91.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MX$186.2K

$2,435 JMD 385.3K

341.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 MX$998

$26.13 JMD 4,135

120.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.02 MX$780

$25.25 JMD 3,996

78.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,797

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

46.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,870

$76.2 JMD 12.1K

41.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,162 MX$37.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,793 MX$65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 MX$18.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.15

23.93%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026

Last update for Duncans: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,013 in Mexico City versus $0 in Duncans. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54 in Mexico City versus $62 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $351 – 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 66%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,226 per month in Mexico City and $1,341 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,484 in Mexico City and $894 in Duncans. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $440 per month in Mexico City and $229 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 $894, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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.