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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $532 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $903 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,274 in Elmina, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 176% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Elmina is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$4.31 GHS 50.7

205.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$47.20 GHS 554

14.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$7.91 GHS 92.9

19.09%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.49 GHS 40.97

1.72%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.93 GHS 10.87

74.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.34 GHS 4.05

226.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.56 GHS 18.37

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.56 GHS 30.01

80.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$3.45 GHS 40.52

-50.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.43 GHS 16.81

90.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.35 GHS 27.59

-18.72%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.30 GHS 26.98

10.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$11.32 GHS 133

-11.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.79 GHS 56.2

68.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$6.00 GHS 70.5

93.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.89 GHS 33.93

2.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.43 GHS 16.81

26.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.69 GHS 19.83

18.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$3.19 GHS 37.48

-36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$3.10 GHS 36.34

-31.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.43 GHS 28.55

-6.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.77 GHS 9.00

81.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.51 GHS 6.03

121.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.59 GHS 18.62

168.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$7.05 GHS 82.8

120.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.12 GHS 13.16

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.93 GHS 22.68

86.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.55 GHS 18.18

-10.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.21 GHS 14.18

-76.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$5.40 GHS 63.3

0.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.07 GHS 12.59

21.50%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$7,843 GHS 92.1K

138.26%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$9,458 GHS 111.0K

144.55%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$54.7 GHS 642

-25.23%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$13.44 GHS 158

99.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$37.50 GHS 440

-20.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$9.70 GHS 114

-35.05%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$73.4 GHS 861

494.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$8,040 GHS 94.4K

29.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$14.53 GHS 171

289.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$18.52 GHS 217

139.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$29.62 GHS 348

247.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$40.75 GHS 478

158.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Elmina: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $47.00 in Elmina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $236 – 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 176%, 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $798 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 $47.00 in Elmina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $532, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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.