Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Handan Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Handan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $693 in Handan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,118 in Handan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,544 in Handan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 109% more than Handan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Handan is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$1.78 ¥12.05

629.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$20.86 ¥141

152.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.13 ¥27.91

128.33%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.98 ¥20.12

19.80%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.39 ¥2.66

312.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.29 ¥1.97

296.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$0.95 ¥6.40

231.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.05 ¥13.85

137.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.79 ¥12.13

-5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.59 ¥10.78

66.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.95 ¥6.44

100.00%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.58 ¥10.71

60.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$12.91 ¥87.3

-21.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.21 ¥21.68

158.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$10.12 ¥68.4

14.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.74 ¥11.76

74.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.26 ¥8.50

35.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.41 ¥9.52

45.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.08 ¥7.31

90.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.68 ¥4.59

202.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.90 ¥6.10

141.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.56 ¥3.81

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.51 ¥3.42

119.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.20 ¥21.63

34.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$10.05 ¥68.0

53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$0.74 ¥4.99

125.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.58 ¥10.70

133.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.29 ¥1.97

31.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$16.65 ¥113

14.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.41 ¥9.53

-2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.35 ¥2.39

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$6.51 ¥44.00

-16.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.13 ¥7.62

13.27%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$19.3K ¥130.7K

-1.80%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$16.9K ¥114.1K

39.08%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$46.53 ¥315

-11.84%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$9.75 ¥65.9

176.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$11.77 ¥79.6

152.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$41.22 ¥279

26.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$14.05 ¥95.0

86.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.45 ¥43.65

-4.19%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$332 ¥2,245

28.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$16.9K ¥114.5K

-36.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$42.69 ¥289

33.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$30.83 ¥208

45.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$72.7 ¥492

43.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$75.7 ¥512

40.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$277 ¥1,872

259.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$187 ¥1,265

232.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$581 ¥3,929

265.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$354 ¥2,393

254.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,990 ¥20.2K

30.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,835 ¥12.4K

14.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$750 ¥5,075

47.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.87

193.02%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Handan: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $277 in Handan. 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 48% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $21.00 in Handan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $196 – making Handan 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 Handan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 109%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,039 in Handan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Handan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $21.00 in Handan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,447 in Mexico City and $693 in Handan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Handan, where all-in costs run around $693, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Handan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Handan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Handan. 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.