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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $526 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $905 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,284 in Elmina, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 177% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Elmina is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$4.45 GHS 51.4

193.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$48.28 GHS 557

11.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$7.79 GHS 89.9

24.26%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$3.54 GHS 40.91

5.65%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.92 GHS 10.67

76.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.34 GHS 3.96

241.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.58 GHS 18.18

104.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.48 GHS 28.58

91.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$3.47 GHS 40.05

-52.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.45 GHS 16.79

89.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.37 GHS 27.31

-21.10%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.40 GHS 27.68

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$11.04 GHS 127

-7.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$4.54 GHS 52.4

81.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$5.82 GHS 67.2

103.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.91 GHS 33.59

3.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.40 GHS 16.11

29.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.71 GHS 19.68

16.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$3.21 GHS 36.99

-37.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$3.00 GHS 34.61

-30.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$2.44 GHS 28.12

-6.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.75 GHS 8.68

94.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.49 GHS 5.60

120.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$1.65 GHS 19.04

163.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$7.42 GHS 85.7

128.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.11 GHS 12.84

55.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.96 GHS 22.62

82.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.62 GHS 18.64

-17.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.17 GHS 13.53

-76.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$5.48 GHS 63.2

-4.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.09 GHS 12.58

22.94%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$8,156 GHS 94.1K

137.98%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$9,546 GHS 110.2K

149.65%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$56.5 GHS 651

-27.92%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$13.33 GHS 154

101.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$38.32 GHS 442

-20.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$9.92 GHS 114

-34.38%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$71.4 GHS 824

499.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$7,919 GHS 91.4K

32.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$14.66 GHS 169

290.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$19.23 GHS 222

136.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$28.80 GHS 332

261.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$41.81 GHS 483

157.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

25.4

-55.35%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Elmina: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $48.00 in Elmina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $234 – making Elmina 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 Elmina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 177%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $789 in Elmina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $48.00 in Elmina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Elmina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elmina – 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 Elmina. 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.