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 $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $1,052 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,572 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $2,092 in East London, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 38% more than East London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while East London is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$6.79 R 110

91.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$30.73 R 497

71.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.45 R 71.9

111.91%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.02 R 32.73

76.73%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.99 R 16.00

62.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.82 R 13.23

40.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.56 R 41.32

23.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.13 R 50.6

55.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.06 R 17.13

60.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.90 R 14.55

193.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.03 R 32.85

-6.40%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.06 R 33.29

23.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$9.36 R 151

7.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.15 R 67.0

99.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.42 R 120

55.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.52 R 24.50

99.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.13 R 34.47

-19.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.43 R 23.19

43.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.46 R 23.66

41.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.57 R 25.32

31.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.47 R 23.78

47.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.05 R 16.97

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.92 R 14.88

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.62 R 42.36

63.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$4.92 R 79.6

213.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.71 R 27.71

-2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.53 R 40.93

45.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.73 R 11.82

-47.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$21.78 R 352

-12.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.13 R 18.29

22.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.96 R 15.50

-70.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$4.14 R 66.9

30.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.21 R 19.62

5.79%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$37.0K R 598.3K

-48.72%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$22.2K R 359.6K

5.48%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$196 R 3,172

-79.10%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$30.20 R 488

-10.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$44.54 R 720

-33.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$33.44 R 541

56.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$1.43 R 23.05

1734.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.60 R 58.2

71.67%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$121 R 1,948

254.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$4,276 R 69.1K

150.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$51.9 R 838

9.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$28.73 R 464

56.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$107 R 1,724

-1.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$85.4 R 1,380

24.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$268 R 4,337

270.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$300 R 4,845

107.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$505 R 8,161

321.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$551 R 8,912

127.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,645 R 26.6K

-32.70%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for East London: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $268 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 49% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $31.00 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $187 – 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: $1,447 in Mexico City, $1,052 in East London – roughly 38% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,578 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 $427 per month in Mexico City and $121 in East London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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 $1,052, than in Mexico City at $1,447. 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 $1,052 in East London to $1,447 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.