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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $976 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,540 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,104 in Havana.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 49% more expensive than in Havana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Havana is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.71 CUP 89.0

252.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$940

$29.50 CUP 708

82.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$6.67 CUP 160

45.13%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.4

$1.18 CUP 28.38

216.95%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$2.26 CUP 54.1

-28.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.31

$1.46 CUP 35.04

-20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.4

$2.05 CUP 49.10

57.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.9

$2.56 CUP 61.3

85.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.80

$3.27 CUP 78.5

-49.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.15

$1.05 CUP 25.16

161.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.77

$2.41 CUP 57.9

-22.41%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.72

$3.64 CUP 87.4

-31.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$5.05 CUP 121

101.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$5.31 CUP 127

55.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$9.49 CUP 228

24.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

$4.89 CUP 117

-38.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

$1.36 CUP 32.72

33.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.96

$2.54 CUP 61.0

-21.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.89

$1.72 CUP 41.33

16.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$2.83 CUP 67.9

-26.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

$2.90 CUP 69.6

-21.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.47

$0.98 CUP 23.55

48.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.82

$1.13 CUP 27.18

-4.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.0

$4.08 CUP 97.9

6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$297

$4.04 CUP 97.0

320.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.31

$2.02 CUP 48.41

-14.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.5

$2.00 CUP 47.96

79.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.77

$1.27 CUP 30.46

-69.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

$25.17 CUP 604

-25.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$3.15 CUP 75.5

-57.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

$0.51 CUP 12.34

-45.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

$14.87 CUP 357

-64.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$1.22 CUP 29.36

9.84%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

$58.8K CUP 1.4M

-67.00%

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

$67.6K CUP 1.6M

-64.72%

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

$40.69 MX$712

$37.01 CUP 888

9.94%

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

$26.87 MX$470

$40.52 CUP 972

-33.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$534

$76.1 CUP 1,827

-59.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

$41.10 CUP 986

28.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

$6.06 CUP 145

339.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$0.82 CUP 19.68

693.90%

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

$428 MX$7,485

$111 CUP 2,666

285.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

$10.0K CUP 240.3K

4.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,001

$39.17 CUP 940

46.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$796

$33.79 CUP 811

34.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,819

$75.8 CUP 1,818

37.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,885

$84.3 CUP 2,023

27.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$365 CUP 8,750

175.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$287 CUP 6,893

116.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.9K

$1,040 CUP 25.0K

102.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$601 CUP 14.4K

102.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

$327 CUP 7,853

1087.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

$405 CUP 9,718

401.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$31.89 CUP 765

3154.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.43

52.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Havana: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $365 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 3154% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $30.00 in Havana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $243 per month, with Havana cheaper across the board.

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 Havana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Havana differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $976 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3154% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $365 in Havana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Havana – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $976 in Havana – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $976 in Havana versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Havana but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Havana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Havana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.