๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $875 in Green Island.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,342 in Mexico City versus $1,445 in Green Island.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Mexico City versus $2,014 in Green Island.
๐Living in Mexico City is roughly 70% more expensive than Green Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Green Island is 35% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Mexico City
Green Island
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.29MX$230
$7.65JMDย 1,211
73.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.8MX$931
$63.1JMDย 9,978
-14.75%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.29MX$161
$8.90JMDย 1,409
4.38%
Cappuccino
$3.61MX$62.5
$4.45JMDย 704
-18.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56MX$26.97
$1.37JMDย 217
13.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.42
$0.75JMDย 118
49.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.13MX$54.1
$2.49JMDย 394
25.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.71MX$81.5
$3.15JMDย 499
49.52%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Green Island
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70MX$29.48
$4.43JMDย 701
-61.63%
White Bread(500g)
$2.77MX$47.92
$3.64JMDย 577
-23.90%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.96MX$33.97
$1.62JMDย 256
20.99%
Eggs
$2.60MX$45.11
$3.44JMDย 544
-24.42%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.94MX$172
$11.15JMDย 1,764
-10.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.10MX$140
$6.45JMDย 1,021
25.58%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.50MX$199
$7.52JMDย 1,191
52.93%
Apples(1kg)
$2.87MX$49.72
$6.06JMDย 959
-52.64%
Banana(1kg)
$1.73MX$30.00
$3.05JMDย 482
-43.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.00MX$34.65
$4.28JMDย 678
-53.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.04MX$35.30
$2.95JMDย 466
-30.85%
Potato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.06
$2.03JMDย 321
2.46%
Onion(1kg)
$2.20MX$38.03
$1.95JMDย 308
12.82%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.45MX$25.18
$3.06JMDย 485
-52.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MX$18.59
$1.44JMDย 228
-25.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27MX$74.0
$8.55JMDย 1,354
-50.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.32MX$248
$11.58JMDย 1,833
23.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.55
$2.77JMDย 438
-36.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70MX$64.1
$3.04JMDย 481
21.71%
๐ Getting Around
Mexico City
Green Island
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.35MX$6.11
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.19MX$332
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.34MX$23.13
$1.09JMDย 172
22.94%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.28MX$4.82
$3.25JMDย 515
-91.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.33MX$92.4
$6.10JMDย 966
-12.62%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34MX$23.22
$1.25JMDย 197
7.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.1KMX$331.2K
$42.6KJMDย 6.7M
-55.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9KMX$413.6K
$34.2KJMDย 5.4M
-30.19%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Green Island
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$39.86MX$690
$164JMDย 26.0K
-75.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.78MX$464
$22.48JMDย 3,558
19.13%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.36MX$509
$50.2JMDย 7,947
-41.53%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Green Island
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4MX$925
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.09MX$452
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.40MX$111
$13.13JMDย 2,078
-51.26%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Green Island
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$440MX$7,629
$228JMDย 36.2K
92.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.8KMX$186.2K
$2,498JMDย 395.4K
330.37%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Green Island
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6MX$998
$25.89JMDย 4,097
122.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.02MX$780
$25.22JMDย 3,992
78.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104MX$1,797
$72.1JMDย 11.4K
43.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108MX$1,870
$74.7JMDย 11.8K
44.44%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Green Island
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,013MX$17.5K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$630MX$10.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,162MX$37.4K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,222MX$21.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,793MX$65.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332MX$40.4K
-
-
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Green Island
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,075MX$18.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
9.15
23.93%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026
Last update for Green Island: April 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,013 in Mexico City and $0 in Green Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $54 in Mexico City vs $63 in Green Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $352 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 Green Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Green Island?
Mexico City and Green Island differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $875 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable โ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Green Island?
You'd need roughly $2,226 in Mexico City and $1,313 in Green Island to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Mexico City pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Mexico City or Green Island?
All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $875 in Green Island โ a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $875 in Green Island versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Green Island but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Green Island the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Green Island?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Green Island?
Expats usually find Green Island gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 70% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared