Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Guangzhou (Canton): $914 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Guangzhou (Canton)
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Guangzhou (Canton) Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Guangzhou (Canton)

🇨🇳 China

$914

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Guangzhou (Canton)

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Guangzhou (Canton) actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $914 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Mexico City $1,608
Guangzhou (Canton) $914

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $1,442 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Mexico City $2,549
Guangzhou (Canton) $1,442

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $1,971 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Mexico City $3,490
Guangzhou (Canton) $1,971

Mexico City costs about 76% more than Guangzhou (Canton), and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Mexico City sits 18% above the global median, while Guangzhou (Canton) is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 MX$199

$3.03 ¥20.19

250.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.35 MX$904

$29.73 ¥198

62.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 MX$193

$5.36 ¥35.72

93.10%

Cappuccino

$3.69 MX$69.0

$3.19 ¥21.24

15.67%

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

$1.67 MX$31.14

$0.54 ¥3.60

209.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.65

$0.36 ¥2.43

252.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$59.7

$1.31 ¥8.76

143.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MX$99.2

$2.75 ¥18.33

93.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$32.23

$1.87 ¥12.48

-8.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 MX$56.8

$1.92 ¥12.79

58.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.27

$1.10 ¥7.31

76.36%

Eggs

$2.89 MX$54.0

$1.56 ¥10.42

85.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 MX$205

$16.83 ¥112

-34.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 MX$173

$5.18 ¥34.51

78.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 MX$283

$12.00 ¥80.0

26.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MX$57.0

$2.22 ¥14.79

37.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.27

$1.25 ¥8.34

55.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.85

$1.45 ¥9.66

40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$43.25

$1.72 ¥11.45

34.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$38.03

$0.95 ¥6.31

114.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MX$33.63

$1.21 ¥8.08

48.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.64

$0.84 ¥5.59

76.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.69

$0.71 ¥4.75

78.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 MX$99.1

$3.91 ¥26.09

35.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 MX$301

$10.86 ¥72.4

48.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$37.06

$1.02 ¥6.81

94.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$79.5

$1.93 ¥12.84

120.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.70

$0.44 ¥2.92

-29.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 MX$369

$18.29 ¥122

7.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MX$34.34

$1.77 ¥11.78

3.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.97

$0.40 ¥2.66

32.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$99.0

$7.21 ¥48.09

-26.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$28.23

$1.37 ¥9.12

10.22%

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

$21.8K MX$406.5K

$19.7K ¥131.5K

10.29%

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

$24.0K MX$448.2K

$17.8K ¥118.9K

34.50%

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

$63.0 MX$1,177

$60.4 ¥402

4.32%

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

$27.39 MX$512

$16.16 ¥108

69.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 MX$666

$14.47 ¥96.5

146.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 MX$1,101

$70.9 ¥472

-16.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.64 MX$442

$12.27 ¥81.8

92.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$120

$6.53 ¥43.50

-1.99%

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

$432 MX$8,065

$1,612 ¥10.7K

-73.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$213.5K

$24.7K ¥164.6K

-53.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 MX$1,275

$48.97 ¥326

39.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MX$993

$40.73 ¥271

30.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$2,014

$82.1 ¥547

31.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,191

$71.3 ¥475

64.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 MX$20.8K

$509 ¥3,391

118.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MX$13.3K

$270 ¥1,797

163.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 MX$48.4K

$1,224 ¥8,158

111.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 MX$26.3K

$500 ¥3,335

180.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,631 MX$67.8K

$8,271 ¥55.1K

-56.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,135 MX$39.9K

$3,705 ¥24.7K

-42.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$17.7K

$1,269 ¥8,457

-25.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

3.38

235.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$710 44.2%

Guangzhou (Canton)

$270 29.5% 62% $441

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$320 19.9%

Guangzhou (Canton)

$242 26.5% 24.3% $78

Eating Out

Mexico City

$199 12.4%

Guangzhou (Canton)

$94 10.3% 52.6% $104

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$156 9.7%

Guangzhou (Canton)

$109 12% 29.8% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 7.8%

Guangzhou (Canton)

$91 10% 27.8% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$72 4.5%

Guangzhou (Canton)

$84 9.2% 17% $12

Getting Around

Mexico City

$25 1.6%

Guangzhou (Canton)

$24 2.6% 6.5% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $509 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 34% 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 $48 in Mexico City versus $30 in Guangzhou (Canton). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $242 – making Guangzhou (Canton) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇨🇳 Guangzhou (Canton)

🕒 Local time

09:09 9:09 AM

23:09 11:09 PM

14 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

14,043,500

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.35 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.135 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.69 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.8 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 6.67 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.42 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mexico City Guangzhou (Canton) 14,120 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Guangzhou (Canton)

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $1,608 in Mexico City, $914 in Guangzhou (Canton) – roughly 76% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $1,371 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $509 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,608 in Mexico City and $914 in Guangzhou (Canton). That’s a gap of about 76%.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Guangzhou (Canton). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Guangzhou (Canton), where all-in costs run around $914, than in Mexico City at $1,608. 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 $914 in Guangzhou (Canton) to $1,608 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Guangzhou (Canton) is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 76% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.