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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $1,076 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,342 per month in Mexico City vs $1,570 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Mexico City vs $2,064 in East London, rent included.

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

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while East London is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 MX$231

$6.90 R 113

92.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$933

$31.33 R 514

71.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 MX$161

$4.61 R 75.6

101.52%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.02 R 33.20

78.71%

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

$1.56 MX$27.03

$0.99 R 16.18

57.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.46

$0.88 R 14.36

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 MX$54.3

$2.57 R 42.20

21.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$81.7

$3.02 R 49.45

55.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.54

$1.07 R 17.54

58.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 MX$48.03

$0.90 R 14.77

207.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.05

$1.96 R 32.16

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.21

$2.13 R 35.00

22.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 MX$173

$9.30 R 152

6.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 MX$141

$4.06 R 66.6

99.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 MX$200

$7.35 R 121

56.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.84

$1.58 R 25.84

81.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.07

$2.15 R 35.30

-19.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.73

$1.39 R 22.76

43.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.48 R 24.32

37.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.14

$1.49 R 24.37

39.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.12

$1.42 R 23.32

54.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.24

$1.06 R 17.38

36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.92 R 15.10

16.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.2

$2.62 R 42.98

62.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 MX$249

$4.75 R 77.9

201.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.62

$1.76 R 28.81

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MX$64.2

$2.53 R 41.46

46.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.12

$0.73 R 11.96

-52.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

$21.51 R 353

-10.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 MX$23.18

$1.09 R 17.94

22.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.83

$0.94 R 15.35

-70.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MX$92.6

$4.06 R 66.6

31.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.28 R 20.93

4.69%

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

$19.1K MX$332.0K

$35.7K R 585.8K

-46.46%

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

$23.9K MX$414.5K

$21.9K R 358.8K

9.15%

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

$39.86 MX$692

$198 R 3,243

-79.84%

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

$26.78 MX$465

$30.90 R 507

-13.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.36 MX$510

$45.08 R 739

-34.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$927

$33.27 R 546

60.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.09 MX$453

$1.42 R 23.33

1737.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$111

$3.66 R 60.0

74.86%

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

$440 MX$7,647

$119 R 1,957

269.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MX$186.6K

$4,233 R 69.4K

153.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 MX$1,000

$51.8 R 850

11.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.02 MX$781

$28.88 R 474

55.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,801

$105 R 1,725

-1.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,874

$85.2 R 1,396

26.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 MX$17.6K

$270 R 4,432

274.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MX$10.9K

$297 R 4,867

112.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,162 MX$37.5K

$509 R 8,351

324.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 MX$21.2K

$544 R 8,922

124.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,793 MX$65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 MX$18.7K

$1,685 R 27.6K

-36.22%

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for East London: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,013 in Mexico City versus $270 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 57% 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 in Mexico City versus $31 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $186 – 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: $1,484 in Mexico City, $1,076 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 $2,226 per month in Mexico City and $1,614 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 $440 per month in Mexico City and $119 in East London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% 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 $1,076, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $1,076 in East London to $1,484 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.