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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $1,437 in Hastings, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $2,262 in Hastings, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $3,088 in Hastings, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 1% more than Hastings, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mexico City and Hastings sit above the global median – Mexico City by 8%, Hastings by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$11.92 NZ$20.35

8.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$83.3 NZ$142

-36.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$9.61 NZ$16.42

-1.87%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.35 NZ$5.72

6.57%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.85 NZ$3.17

-12.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$2.08 NZ$3.54

-44.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$6.13 NZ$10.46

-48.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$7.40 NZ$12.64

-34.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.89 NZ$3.22

-10.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.01 NZ$3.44

31.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.86 NZ$3.17

2.15%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$6.02 NZ$10.29

-57.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$8.20 NZ$14.00

22.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$11.22 NZ$19.15

-26.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$12.77 NZ$21.81

-9.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.84 NZ$4.85

6.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.05 NZ$3.50

-16.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$3.10 NZ$5.30

-33.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$4.80 NZ$8.20

-57.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.88 NZ$3.20

9.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.46 NZ$2.49

48.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$2.19 NZ$3.74

-36.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.97 NZ$1.66

15.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$22.11 NZ$37.76

-80.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$9.63 NZ$16.45

60.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$3.69 NZ$6.31

-54.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.99 NZ$5.10

23.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$2.44 NZ$4.17

-84.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$60.2 NZ$103

-68.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.67 NZ$4.56

-48.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.84 NZ$3.14

-84.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$61.1 NZ$104

-91.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.74 NZ$2.96

-26.44%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$31.1K NZ$53.2K

-39.04%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$21.0K NZ$35.9K

11.56%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$160 NZ$273

-74.35%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$33.00 NZ$56.4

-18.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$51.5 NZ$87.9

-42.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$36.80 NZ$62.8

42.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$12.00 NZ$20.49

118.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$10.92 NZ$18.66

-43.41%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$791 NZ$1,350

-45.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$12.6K NZ$21.5K

-14.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$62.2 NZ$106

-8.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$52.1 NZ$88.9

-13.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$113 NZ$192

-7.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$133 NZ$227

-20.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$394 NZ$673

152.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$343 NZ$585

81.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,081 NZ$1,846

96.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$594 NZ$1,014

111.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,645 NZ$2,810

-32.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.94

63.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Hastings: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $394 in Hastings. 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 49% higher in Hastings, 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $83.0 in Hastings. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $325 – making Mexico City 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 Hastings: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 1% more than Hastings, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $2,156 in Hastings. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Mexico City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $83.0 in Hastings. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hastings, where all-in costs run around $1,437, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Hastings it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hastings costs $1,437 versus $1,447 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hastings. 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.