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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $2,075 in Gatineau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $3,120 in Gatineau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $4,166 in Gatineau, rent included.

Mexico City is about 30% cheaper than Gatineau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mexico City and Gatineau sit above the global median – Mexico City by 9%, Gatineau by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$13.20 CA$18.50

-0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$940

$88.3 CA$124

-39.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$10.92 CA$15.31

-11.36%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.4

$3.25 CA$4.56

15.08%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$1.49 CA$2.09

8.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.31

$1.45 CA$2.04

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.4

$4.48 CA$6.28

-27.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.9

$6.42 CA$9.01

-26.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.80

$1.98 CA$2.78

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.15

$3.05 CA$4.27

-9.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.77

$4.98 CA$6.98

-62.45%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.72

$3.52 CA$4.94

-28.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$11.80 CA$16.55

-13.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$10.49 CA$14.71

-21.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$11.44 CA$16.04

3.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

$4.63 CA$6.49

-34.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

$1.38 CA$1.93

31.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.96

$4.84 CA$6.78

-58.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.89

$3.73 CA$5.23

-46.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$1.98 CA$2.77

5.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

$2.23 CA$3.13

1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.47

$2.18 CA$3.05

-33.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.82

$2.78 CA$3.89

-61.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.0

$12.11 CA$16.98

-64.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$297

$12.13 CA$17.01

40.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.31

$2.41 CA$3.37

-28.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.5

$2.89 CA$4.06

23.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.77

$3.39 CA$4.75

-88.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

$81.6 CA$114

-77.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$3.86 CA$5.41

-65.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

$1.48 CA$2.08

-81.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

$33.60 CA$47.10

-84.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$1.18 CA$1.65

13.56%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

-22.09%

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

$20.5K CA$28.7K

16.36%

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

$40.69 MX$712

$112 CA$157

-63.75%

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

$26.87 MX$470

$39.33 CA$55.1

-31.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$534

$50.3 CA$70.5

-39.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

$43.93 CA$61.6

20.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

$30.26 CA$42.42

-11.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$11.08 CA$15.54

-41.25%

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

$428 MX$7,485

$581 CA$814

-26.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

$11.6K CA$16.2K

-9.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,001

$63.2 CA$88.6

-9.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$796

$43.67 CA$61.2

4.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,819

$78.4 CA$110

32.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,885

$121 CA$170

-11.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$1,098 CA$1,539

-8.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$1,004 CA$1,408

-38.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.9K

$1,674 CA$2,346

26.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$1,606 CA$2,251

-24.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

$5,298 CA$7,428

-26.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

$6,114 CA$8,572

-66.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$2,624 CA$3,679

-60.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.5

74.46%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Gatineau: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $1,098 in Gatineau. 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 153% higher in Gatineau, 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 $88.0 in Gatineau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $370 – making Mexico City 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 Gatineau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gatineau costs about 42% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $3,113 in Gatineau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,456 in Mexico City and $2,075 in Gatineau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 337% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,456, than in Gatineau at $2,075. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gatineau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,456 versus $2,075 in Gatineau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gatineau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.