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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $3,025 in Galway.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $4,255 in Galway.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $5,485 in Galway.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 51% less than in Galway, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Galway 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$18.83 €16.12

-31.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$94.4 €80.8

-43.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$10.50 €8.98

-7.43%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$4.38 €3.75

-14.38%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$2.40 €2.06

-34.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$1.62 €1.39

-30.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$6.87 €5.88

-53.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$6.55 €5.61

-28.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.52 €1.30

6.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$2.52 €2.16

7.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$2.14 €1.83

-12.15%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$4.07 €3.49

-38.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$12.77 €10.93

-21.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$10.37 €8.88

-20.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$11.80 €10.10

1.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$3.01 €2.58

-4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.08 €1.78

-15.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.80 €2.40

-25.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$3.40 €2.91

-42.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.45 €1.24

48.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.41 €1.21

54.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.45 €1.24

-4.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.67 €1.43

-32.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$19.49 €16.68

-78.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$14.60 €12.50

-2.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$4.79 €4.10

-63.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$5.09 €4.36

-27.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$2.28 €1.96

-82.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$68.9 €59.0

-72.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$4.97 €4.26

-72.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.38 €1.18

-78.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$43.55 €37.28

-87.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$2.00 €1.71

-32.50%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$42.1K €36.1K

-55.17%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$39.7K €34.0K

-41.74%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$280 €240

-85.43%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$21.99 €18.82

25.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$54.9 €46.97

-44.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$56.5 €48.36

-5.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$8.74 €7.48

200.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$14.15 €12.11

-55.69%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$1,057 €905

-58.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$7,993 €6,842

30.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$91.9 €78.7

-38.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$39.82 €34.08

12.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$101 €86.7

1.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$108 €92.3

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$2,024 €1,733

-50.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$1,719 €1,471

-63.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$3,303 €2,828

-35.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$2,589 €2,216

-52.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$6,276 €5,373

-38.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$4,813 €4,120

-51.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$3,219 €2,755

-66.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.8

136.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Galway: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $2,024 in Galway. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 202% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $94.0 in Galway for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $343 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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 Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Galway earns 202% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $2,024 in Galway. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $94.0 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $3,025 in Galway, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Galway. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Galway, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Galway are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.