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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $850 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,416 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,981 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Mexico City costs about 73% more than Guangzhou (Canton), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Guangzhou (Canton) is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$2.74 ¥18.57

381.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$22.37 ¥151

140.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.77 ¥32.29

97.48%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$3.17 ¥21.43

11.99%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.50 ¥3.40

224.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.30 ¥2.02

270.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$1.01 ¥6.84

208.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$1.66 ¥11.21

178.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.89 ¥12.78

-10.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$2.03 ¥13.77

33.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.29 ¥8.72

48.06%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.56 ¥10.57

62.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$19.15 ¥130

-47.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.70 ¥31.84

72.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$14.33 ¥97.0

-18.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$2.12 ¥14.38

40.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.25 ¥8.49

44.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.99 ¥13.49

1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$1.48 ¥10.03

37.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$0.95 ¥6.43

123.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$1.08 ¥7.34

110.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.56 ¥3.81

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.61 ¥4.12

85.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$3.93 ¥26.57

8.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$10.48 ¥71.0

48.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$0.93 ¥6.31

89.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$1.41 ¥9.54

155.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.44 ¥2.97

-13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$25.10 ¥170

-23.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$1.62 ¥10.98

-14.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.35 ¥2.34

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$6.12 ¥41.39

-10.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.16 ¥7.86

12.07%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$21.3K ¥144.0K

-12.17%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$19.5K ¥131.7K

18.89%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$60.2 ¥408

-32.17%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$12.94 ¥87.6

107.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$11.49 ¥77.8

160.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$40.75 ¥276

27.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$13.85 ¥93.7

93.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$6.47 ¥43.81

-2.63%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$319 ¥2,161

36.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$16.2K ¥109.7K

-35.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$41.23 ¥279

37.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$28.59 ¥194

55.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$69.1 ¥467

49.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$61.7 ¥417

71.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$492 ¥3,333

107.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$269 ¥1,824

134.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$1,135 ¥7,680

88.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$618 ¥4,181

101.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$8,864 ¥60.0K

-55.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$3,369 ¥22.8K

-38.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$1,314 ¥8,894

-15.14%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $492 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 18% 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: $288 vs $251 – 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: $1,467 in Mexico City, $850 in Guangzhou (Canton) – roughly 73% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,275 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $850 in Guangzhou (Canton). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% 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 $850, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $850 in Guangzhou (Canton) to $1,467 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.