Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $828 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,304 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,781 in George Town.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 75% more expensive than George Town, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, George Town is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.13 MYR 12.71

314.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$21.31 MYR 86.4

146.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.14 MYR 16.80

127.78%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.58 MYR 10.46

38.37%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.77 MYR 3.14

109.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.33 MYR 1.36

248.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$4.26 MYR 17.26

-26.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$4.79 MYR 19.42

1.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.85 MYR 7.50

-8.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.12 MYR 4.54

135.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.69 MYR 6.85

12.43%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.05 MYR 8.32

23.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$17.52 MYR 71.0

-42.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.95 MYR 20.07

67.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$10.66 MYR 43.24

8.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.82 MYR 11.44

7.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.43 MYR 5.82

19.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.19 MYR 8.87

-6.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.26 MYR 5.12

63.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.89 MYR 3.59

131.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.21 MYR 4.91

79.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.69 MYR 2.78

102.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.55 MYR 2.25

103.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.02 MYR 16.28

6.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$12.54 MYR 50.9

22.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.63 MYR 10.68

-36.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.38 MYR 13.72

9.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.49 MYR 1.97

-22.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$11.56 MYR 46.89

64.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.16 MYR 4.72

18.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.44 MYR 1.78

-36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$6.61 MYR 26.80

-18.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.47 MYR 1.89

172.34%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$33.2K MYR 134.6K

-42.80%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$24.7K MYR 100.2K

-5.08%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$38.53 MYR 156

6.46%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$9.93 MYR 40.25

171.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$29.52 MYR 120

0.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$38.84 MYR 157

34.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$3.66 MYR 14.85

616.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$4.06 MYR 16.45

52.22%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$150 MYR 607

185.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$4,580 MYR 18.6K

133.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$50.8 MYR 206

11.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$29.05 MYR 118

54.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$60.5 MYR 245

72.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$52.4 MYR 213

102.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$370 MYR 1,501

168.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$259 MYR 1,051

139.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$712 MYR 2,887

198.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$498 MYR 2,018

151.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,085 MYR 4,400

2.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.16

172.60%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for George Town: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $370 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 2% 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 $21.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $251 per month, with George Town 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 George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 2% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $370 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 65% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $150 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $828 in George Town versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Mexico City and George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.