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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,045 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,696 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $2,347 in East London, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 59% more than East London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while East London is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$9.32 R 151

27.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$38.27 R 622

34.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$5.78 R 93.9

97.40%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.12 R 34.49

88.21%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$1.09 R 17.65

52.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.80 R 12.94

66.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$2.84 R 46.18

22.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$3.17 R 51.6

86.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.20 R 19.56

56.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$0.99 R 16.04

228.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.50 R 24.32

44.00%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.21 R 35.95

31.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$9.02 R 147

42.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.54 R 90.0

81.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$8.48 R 138

87.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$1.50 R 24.43

119.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.58 R 25.75

27.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.74 R 28.25

26.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.54 R 25.01

53.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.71 R 27.77

19.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.47 R 23.85

29.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.20 R 19.53

34.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.92 R 14.95

52.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$2.92 R 47.46

86.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$4.99 R 81.1

253.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.31 R 21.25

57.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$1.81 R 29.40

158.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$1.52 R 24.78

-77.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$48.19 R 783

-56.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$1.21 R 19.59

73.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.50 R 8.16

12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$8.50 R 138

-31.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.33 R 21.66

21.05%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$36.2K R 588.0K

-36.85%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$29.4K R 478.3K

-9.09%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$124 R 2,018

-47.50%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$33.92 R 551

-11.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$44.33 R 721

-16.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$39.59 R 644

50.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.82 R 78.4

46.06%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$179 R 2,913

159.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$5,458 R 88.7K

143.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$58.6 R 952

29.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$34.33 R 558

62.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$73.0 R 1,187

53.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$100 R 1,626

20.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$294 R 4,787

274.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$255 R 4,141

182.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$548 R 8,916

361.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$655 R 10.7K

97.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$1,704 R 27.7K

-39.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.73%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for East London: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $294 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 64% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $38.00 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $193 – 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: $1,660 in Mexico City, $1,045 in East London – roughly 59% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,567 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 $465 per month in Mexico City and $179 in East London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% 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 $1,045, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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 $1,045 in East London to $1,660 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.