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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $859 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,406 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,952 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Mexico City costs about 70% more than Guangzhou (Canton), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Guangzhou (Canton) is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$2.82 ¥19.08

363.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$21.90 ¥148

145.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$4.77 ¥32.22

102.94%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$3.11 ¥21.00

20.26%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.50 ¥3.39

224.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.30 ¥2.01

286.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.01 ¥6.83

219.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$1.63 ¥11.02

190.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.89 ¥12.76

-12.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$2.00 ¥13.49

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.29 ¥8.71

44.96%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.57 ¥10.59

59.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$18.92 ¥128

-46.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$4.58 ¥30.92

80.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$14.34 ¥96.9

-17.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.11 ¥14.23

42.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.25 ¥8.42

44.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.98 ¥13.40

1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.42 ¥9.60

40.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.94 ¥6.33

121.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.06 ¥7.14

114.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.55 ¥3.73

165.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.65 ¥4.40

66.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.77 ¥25.44

15.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$12.08 ¥81.6

40.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$0.92 ¥6.25

88.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.41 ¥9.51

153.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.44 ¥2.94

-11.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$24.85 ¥168

-24.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.71 ¥11.54

-22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.35 ¥2.36

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$6.09 ¥41.13

-13.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.18 ¥8.00

13.56%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$21.1K ¥142.6K

-7.99%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$19.5K ¥131.8K

22.20%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$60.0 ¥406

-32.23%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$13.13 ¥88.7

104.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$11.76 ¥79.5

159.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$41.79 ¥282

26.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$13.83 ¥93.4

92.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$6.34 ¥42.86

2.68%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$313 ¥2,114

36.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$15.8K ¥106.7K

-33.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$40.68 ¥275

40.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$28.49 ¥192

59.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$69.7 ¥471

49.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$60.2 ¥407

78.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$495 ¥3,347

102.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$274 ¥1,852

127.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$1,143 ¥7,723

84.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$620 ¥4,186

96.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$8,867 ¥59.9K

-56.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$3,363 ¥22.7K

-39.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$1,278 ¥8,638

-18.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.08

177.94%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $495 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 23% 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 $22.00 in Guangzhou (Canton). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $253 – 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: $1,456 in Mexico City, $859 in Guangzhou (Canton) – roughly 70% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,288 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 $1,456 in Mexico City and $859 in Guangzhou (Canton). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 33% 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 $859, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $859 in Guangzhou (Canton) to $1,456 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.