Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Elbasan Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Elbasan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $917 in Elbasan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,433 in Elbasan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,949 in Elbasan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 61% more than Elbasan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Elbasan is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$9.47 ALL 770

38.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$32.67 ALL 2,655

63.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.12 ALL 579

31.04%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.80 ALL 147

105.56%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.29 ALL 105

24.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.75 ALL 60.5

49.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.81 ALL 147

73.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.30 ALL 187

110.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.80 ALL 146

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.92 ALL 75.0

194.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.49 ALL 121

28.19%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$3.00 ALL 244

-13.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$9.69 ALL 787

1.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.44 ALL 442

54.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$12.45 ALL 1,012

-4.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$0.87 ALL 70.5

239.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$2.37 ALL 193

-26.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.25 ALL 102

63.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.93 ALL 75.5

121.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.01 ALL 81.7

112.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.03 ALL 83.8

119.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.90 ALL 73.0

54.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.57 ALL 46.05

96.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$3.96 ALL 321

6.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$8.13 ALL 661

115.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$0.90 ALL 73.0

90.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.43 ALL 116

153.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.48 ALL 39.02

-27.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$18.61 ALL 1,512

3.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$3.43 ALL 279

-59.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.28 ALL 104

-78.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$14.32 ALL 1,163

-63.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$2.18 ALL 177

-37.61%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$21.6K ALL 1.8M

-11.51%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$27.7K ALL 2.2M

-14.67%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$66.8 ALL 5,425

-39.29%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$17.59 ALL 1,429

55.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$15.21 ALL 1,235

99.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$66.0 ALL 5,364

-20.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$16.18 ALL 1,314

63.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$5.67 ALL 461

9.17%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$139 ALL 11.3K

206.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$1,791 ALL 145.5K

499.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$47.58 ALL 3,866

22.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$34.42 ALL 2,797

29.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$95.5 ALL 7,760

8.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$179 ALL 14.5K

-39.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$286 ALL 23.2K

254.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$194 ALL 15.7K

221.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$415 ALL 33.8K

410.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$296 ALL 24.0K

313.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,310 ALL 106.5K

189.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$866 ALL 70.3K

143.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$550 ALL 44.7K

91.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.1

85.90%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Elbasan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $286 in Elbasan. 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 91% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $33.00 in Elbasan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $206 – making Elbasan 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 Elbasan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 61%, 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 $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,375 in Elbasan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 42% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $33.00 in Elbasan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elbasan, where all-in costs run around $917, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In Elbasan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elbasan – 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 Elbasan. 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.