Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Guangzhou (Canton) Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Guangzhou (Canton)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $953 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,476 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,998 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Mexico City costs about 76% more than Guangzhou (Canton), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Guangzhou (Canton) is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$2.93 ¥19.65

314.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$29.41 ¥197

83.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$5.29 ¥35.44

109.64%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.15 ¥21.12

30.16%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.55 ¥3.67

205.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.36 ¥2.39

286.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.46 ¥9.79

128.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$2.70 ¥18.08

117.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.91 ¥12.78

-3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$2.11 ¥14.14

50.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.10 ¥7.37

88.18%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.48 ¥9.88

97.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$16.24 ¥109

-22.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$5.17 ¥34.61

95.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$12.48 ¥83.6

28.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.21 ¥14.77

53.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.18 ¥7.90

76.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.53 ¥10.28

38.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.74 ¥11.64

38.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.99 ¥6.62

115.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.17 ¥7.83

71.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.80 ¥5.38

93.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.69 ¥4.63

97.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$3.79 ¥25.38

52.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$12.40 ¥83.1

43.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.12 ¥7.50

84.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.97 ¥13.21

134.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.47 ¥3.16

-21.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$20.68 ¥139

2.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.76 ¥11.76

16.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.39 ¥2.61

48.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$7.01 ¥46.93

-13.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.33 ¥8.94

16.54%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$19.1K ¥127.9K

19.76%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$18.8K ¥125.7K

45.11%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$63.1 ¥423

6.78%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$16.73 ¥112

83.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$14.51 ¥97.2

156.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$64.7 ¥433

-4.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$12.43 ¥83.3

118.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$6.95 ¥46.53

2.30%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$1,696 ¥11.4K

-73.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$26.7K ¥178.6K

-48.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$49.01 ¥328

51.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$38.12 ¥255

49.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$81.4 ¥545

41.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$75.2 ¥503

61.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$528 ¥3,536

117.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$282 ¥1,889

151.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$1,346 ¥9,014

91.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$482 ¥3,226

168.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$8,542 ¥57.2K

-53.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$3,357 ¥22.5K

-36.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$1,262 ¥8,451

-14.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.36

236.31%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $528 in Guangzhou (Canton). 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 17% higher in Guangzhou (Canton), which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $29.00 in Guangzhou (Canton). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $247 – making Guangzhou (Canton) 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 Guangzhou (Canton): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City, $953 in Guangzhou (Canton) – roughly 76% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $1,430 in Guangzhou (Canton). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guangzhou (Canton), 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 $1,677 in Mexico City and $953 in Guangzhou (Canton). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Guangzhou (Canton). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Guangzhou (Canton), where all-in costs run around $953, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In Guangzhou (Canton) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $953 in Guangzhou (Canton) to $1,677 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Guangzhou (Canton). 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.