Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Gili Air Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Gili Air

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $847 in Gili Air, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,486 in Gili Air, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $2,126 in Gili Air, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 71% more than Gili Air, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Gili Air is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$1.94 Rp 34.8K

569.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$17.51 Rp 313.7K

200.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

258.56%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

141.22%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

130.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.40 Rp 7,213

187.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

93.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.07 Rp 37.1K

134.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.24 Rp 22.2K

37.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

45.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

120.93%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.77 Rp 31.7K

43.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$10.58 Rp 189.5K

-4.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.12 Rp 55.9K

165.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$8.63 Rp 154.7K

34.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.63 Rp 47.2K

15.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

55.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

3.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

27.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

45.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.65 Rp 29.6K

31.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.71 Rp 12.8K

97.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.52 Rp 9,239

115.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.25 Rp 40.3K

90.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$16.39 Rp 293.6K

-5.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.98 Rp 35.5K

-15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.02 Rp 36.2K

82.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.21 Rp 3,752

80.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$6.72 Rp 120.4K

183.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.37 Rp 6,610

272.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.37 Rp 6,548

-24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$4.87 Rp 87.2K

11.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.68 Rp 12.1K

88.24%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$20.8K Rp 372.1M

-8.60%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$25.5K Rp 457.2M

-8.07%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$63.4 Rp 1.1M

-35.31%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$3.20 Rp 57.4K

741.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$19.44 Rp 348.3K

52.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$55.8 Rp 999.2K

-6.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

581.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

166.38%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$202 Rp 3.6M

111.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$4,454 Rp 79.8M

140.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$44.23 Rp 792.4K

28.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$31.05 Rp 556.3K

44.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

45.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$62.6 Rp 1.1M

69.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$478 Rp 8.6M

107.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$320 Rp 5.7M

94.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,597 Rp 28.6M

33.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$973 Rp 17.4M

28.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,323 Rp 23.7M

195.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,060 Rp 19.0M

97.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.28

-14.61%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Gili Air: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $478 in Gili Air. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $18.00 in Gili Air. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $213 – making Gili Air 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 Gili Air: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 71%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,270 in Gili Air. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gili Air, 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 $1,447 in Mexico City and $847 in Gili Air. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 184% less in Gili Air. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gili Air, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Gili Air it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gili Air – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gili Air. 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.