Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Genk

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,608 a month against $1,828 in Genk, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Genk, Belgium
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Genk
🇧🇪 Belgium
$1,828
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Genk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Genk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $1,828 in Genk.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Genk $1,828

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $2,767 in Genk.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Genk $2,767

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $3,706 in Genk.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Genk $3,706

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 12% less than in Genk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 18% above, Genk 34% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Genk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$198
$23.16 €20.75
-54.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$901
$89.2 €80.0
-45.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$193
$13.32 €11.94
-22.30%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$68.7
$4.32 €3.87
-14.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.05
$2.64 €2.37
-36.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.58
$2.28 €2.04
-44.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.5
$4.54 €4.07
-29.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$98.9
$3.95 €3.54
34.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Genk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.13
$0.91 €0.82
89.01%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$56.6
$2.87 €2.58
5.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.17
$2.32 €2.08
-16.38%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$53.8
$3.93 €3.52
-26.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$204
$9.08 €8.14
20.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$172
$7.42 €6.65
24.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$282
$11.26 €10.09
34.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$56.8
$2.42 €2.17
26.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.17
$2.37 €2.12
-18.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.73
$2.56 €2.29
-20.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.12
$2.93 €2.62
-21.16%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$37.91
$2.54 €2.28
-19.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.53
$1.80 €1.61
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.56
$1.50 €1.35
-1.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.62
$1.10 €0.99
15.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$98.8
$12.70 €11.38
-58.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$300
$7.42 €6.65
116.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$36.95
$1.71 €1.53
15.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.2
$1.14 €1.02
272.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Genk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.68
$3.27 €2.93
-90.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$368
$55.1 €49.39
-64.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.23
$5.54 €4.96
-66.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.94
$2.75 €2.46
-80.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$98.7
$45.28 €40.58
-88.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.14
$1.84 €1.65
-17.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$405.3K
$22.4K €20.1K
-2.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$446.9K
$27.4K €24.5K
-12.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Genk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,173
$169 €152
-62.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$510
$20.43 €18.30
34.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$664
$40.91 €36.66
-12.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Genk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,098
$36.82 €33.00
60.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$441
$19.80 €17.74
19.39%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$119
$15.93 €14.27
-59.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Genk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,041
$281 €252
53.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$212.8K
$32.8K €29.4K
-65.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Genk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,271
$108 €96.6
-36.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$990
$46.61 €41.76
13.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,008
$79.1 €70.9
36.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,185
$103 €92.3
13.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Genk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.7K
$952 €853
16.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.2K
$694 €622
2.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.2K
$1,295 €1,161
99.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.2K
$1,041 €933
35.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$67.6K
$4,107 €3,680
-11.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$39.8K
$2,908 €2,606
-26.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Genk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.6K
$2,275 €2,039
-58.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
3.53
221.53%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Genk: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Genk
$694 2.3% $16
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Genk
$268 16.1% $51
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Genk
$327 64.8% $129
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Genk
$151 2.9% $4.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Genk
$230 82.8% $104
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Genk
$69 4.3% $3.1
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Genk
$87 244% $62

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $952 in Genk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Genk pays about 2.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $48 in Mexico City vs $89 in Genk. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $268, with Genk cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇧🇪 Genk
🕒 Local time
01:15 1:15 AM
08:15 8:15 AM
7 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
65,321
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.74 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Genk 9,320 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Genk

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Genk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Genk?
Mexico City is about 12% cheaper overall, especially in eating out and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Mexico City or Genk?
On paper, salaries run 58% lower in Mexico City. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Mexico City and Genk?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $952 in Genk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Mexico City and in Genk?
Shoppers in Genk pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is eating out cheaper in Mexico City or in Genk?
Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $48 versus $89 in Genk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $3,000 enough for either Mexico City or Genk?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Mexico City gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Mexico City or in Genk?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Mexico City wins on affordability, Genk on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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