Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and East London Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and East London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $1,051 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,562 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $2,074 in East London, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 40% more than East London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while East London is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$228

$6.53 R 108

101.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$927

$30.53 R 505

75.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$162

$4.47 R 73.9

108.72%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.1

$2.08 R 34.48

77.88%

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

$1.60 MX$27.80

$1.01 R 16.64

58.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.37

$0.86 R 14.22

30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$2.46 R 40.64

27.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.0

$3.04 R 50.3

59.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.65

$1.02 R 16.90

61.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.02

$0.91 R 15.01

197.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.08 R 34.36

-8.17%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.87

$2.05 R 33.89

26.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$9.36 R 155

4.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$4.14 R 68.4

103.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$207

$7.47 R 124

59.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.2

$1.59 R 26.23

85.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.15

$2.05 R 33.96

-15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.43

$1.38 R 22.79

47.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.69

$1.46 R 24.15

41.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.25

$1.56 R 25.74

37.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.08

$1.49 R 24.61

51.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.01

$1.09 R 18.09

27.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.87 R 14.37

28.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.1

$2.62 R 43.40

61.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$4.65 R 76.9

276.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.62

$1.73 R 28.55

-1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.9

$2.53 R 41.89

43.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.11

$0.68 R 11.19

-48.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$335

$21.98 R 364

-12.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$1.14 R 18.90

21.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.95 R 15.67

-70.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.4

$4.07 R 67.4

29.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.53

$1.27 R 21.08

7.09%

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

$19.1K MX$331.0K

$37.1K R 613.2K

-48.47%

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

$23.6K MX$409.0K

$22.3K R 368.9K

5.86%

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

$40.53 MX$702

$196 R 3,243

-79.33%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$29.96 R 496

-8.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$45.04 R 745

-32.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$905

$34.20 R 566

52.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$459

$1.38 R 22.75

1818.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$3.68 R 60.9

68.21%

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

$425 MX$7,365

$117 R 1,936

263.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.0K

$4,123 R 68.2K

160.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,010

$52.3 R 865

11.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$772

$29.05 R 480

53.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$108 R 1,794

-4.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$87.2 R 1,442

24.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.6K

$261 R 4,315

288.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$296 R 4,902

110.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$506 R 8,362

319.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$561 R 9,281

118.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$1,628 R 26.9K

-35.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.09%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for East London: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $261 in East London. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 55% higher in East London, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $31.00 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $185 – making East London 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 East London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City, $1,051 in East London – roughly 40% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,576 in East London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East London, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $425 per month in Mexico City and $117 in East London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in East London, where all-in costs run around $1,051, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In East London it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,051 in East London to $1,472 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with East London. 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.