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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $688 in Handan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,095 in Handan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,501 in Handan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 114% more than Handan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Handan is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$228

$1.77 ¥11.91

642.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$928

$20.52 ¥138

160.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$162

$4.29 ¥28.90

117.48%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.2

$2.99 ¥20.19

23.75%

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

$1.60 MX$27.82

$0.36 ¥2.45

344.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.39

$0.27 ¥1.80

314.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$0.87 ¥5.88

260.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.1

$2.12 ¥14.26

128.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.85 ¥12.44

-10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.07

$1.54 ¥10.38

75.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.10

$0.94 ¥6.36

103.19%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.92

$1.63 ¥11.01

58.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$12.65 ¥85.3

-22.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$3.10 ¥20.91

171.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$207

$10.07 ¥67.9

18.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.2

$1.79 ¥12.10

64.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.18

$1.20 ¥8.12

45.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.46

$1.37 ¥9.21

48.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.73

$1.08 ¥7.27

90.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.28

$0.71 ¥4.82

202.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.11

$0.91 ¥6.11

148.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.03

$0.61 ¥4.09

127.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.36

$0.55 ¥3.73

103.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.2

$3.21 ¥21.64

31.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$304

$9.93 ¥66.9

76.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.65

$0.80 ¥5.38

113.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.0

$1.60 ¥10.77

126.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.12

$0.27 ¥1.81

29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$335

$16.69 ¥113

15.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.86

$1.42 ¥9.57

-2.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.36 ¥2.41

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.5

$6.72 ¥45.29

-21.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.55

$1.13 ¥7.61

20.35%

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

$19.1K MX$331.3K

$19.0K ¥128.4K

0.29%

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

$23.6K MX$409.4K

$17.0K ¥114.8K

38.65%

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

$40.53 MX$703

$45.38 ¥306

-10.69%

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

$27.38 MX$475

$9.60 ¥64.7

185.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$527

$11.69 ¥78.8

159.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$906

$41.45 ¥279

25.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$459

$13.75 ¥92.7

92.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$6.09 ¥41.07

1.64%

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

$425 MX$7,372

$334 ¥2,253

27.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.2K

$17.2K ¥116.2K

-37.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,011

$43.27 ¥292

34.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$773

$30.57 ¥206

45.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,795

$72.4 ¥488

42.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,886

$74.4 ¥502

46.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.6K

$276 ¥1,858

267.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$185 ¥1,245

237.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.8K

$583 ¥3,929

263.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$356 ¥2,397

243.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.8K

$3,255 ¥21.9K

16.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.6K

$2,008 ¥13.5K

5.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$639 ¥4,309

64.61%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Handan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $276 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 65% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $21.00 in Handan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $195 – 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 114%, 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 $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,033 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 $54.0 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 $1,472 in Mexico City and $688 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 $688, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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.