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 $1,646 per month in Mexico City vs $680 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,613 per month in Mexico City vs $1,160 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,580 per month in Mexico City vs $1,640 in Elmina, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 142% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Mexico City sits 20% above the global median, while Elmina is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$8.14 GHS 92.0

48.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$53.4 GHS 604

-2.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$10.81 GHS 122

0.83%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$4.72 GHS 53.3

-14.19%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$1.65 GHS 18.66

4.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.49 GHS 5.48

181.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$1.86 GHS 21.01

86.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$2.27 GHS 25.65

155.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$3.81 GHS 43.11

-51.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$1.80 GHS 20.34

78.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$3.14 GHS 35.48

-33.44%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$2.71 GHS 30.61

7.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$12.56 GHS 142

-0.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$7.49 GHS 84.6

34.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$10.26 GHS 116

54.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$3.77 GHS 42.55

-12.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$1.47 GHS 16.63

44.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$1.86 GHS 21.06

17.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$3.75 GHS 42.42

-34.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$2.81 GHS 31.80

-22.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$2.73 GHS 30.84

-30.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.78 GHS 8.78

107.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.62 GHS 6.95

117.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$2.59 GHS 29.23

109.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$7.16 GHS 80.9

145.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.32 GHS 14.93

56.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$2.46 GHS 27.75

93.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$1.73 GHS 19.53

17.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$1.29 GHS 14.59

-55.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$4.38 GHS 49.50

36.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.39 GHS 15.73

16.55%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$8,005 GHS 90.5K

184.95%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$10.3K GHS 116.0K

159.70%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$74.0 GHS 836

-11.78%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$19.52 GHS 221

53.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$43.23 GHS 489

-15.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$13.10 GHS 148

-47.71%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$468 GHS 5,294

-3.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$18.5K GHS 208.8K

-27.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$14.64 GHS 165

412.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$19.45 GHS 220

184.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$37.21 GHS 420

205.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$55.0 GHS 621

123.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

26.75

-57.76%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Elmina: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $53.0 in Elmina. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $290 in Elmina – so Elmina wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 142%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,469 per month in Mexico City and $1,021 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 $52.0 in Mexico City and $53.0 in Elmina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $680, than in Mexico City at $1,646. 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.