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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $877 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,453 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,029 in Havana.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 88% more expensive than in Havana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Havana is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$3.81 CUP 91.4

217.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$27.24 CUP 654

91.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$4.99 CUP 120

118.44%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$1.08 CUP 26.03

275.00%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$1.68 CUP 40.26

2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$1.01 CUP 24.33

36.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$1.56 CUP 37.42

122.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$1.99 CUP 47.65

191.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$3.79 CUP 90.9

-51.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$1.52 CUP 36.47

111.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$2.14 CUP 51.4

-2.34%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$3.62 CUP 86.9

-19.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$4.37 CUP 105

185.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$4.58 CUP 110

120.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$8.70 CUP 209

82.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$5.94 CUP 142

-44.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$1.09 CUP 26.17

95.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$3.85 CUP 92.3

-43.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$2.33 CUP 55.9

5.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$3.71 CUP 89.0

-40.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$4.07 CUP 97.6

-53.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.81 CUP 19.55

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$1.40 CUP 33.68

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$1.94 CUP 46.68

179.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$4.09 CUP 98.2

330.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.53 CUP 36.68

35.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$2.07 CUP 49.64

129.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$1.23 CUP 29.63

-72.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$22.69 CUP 545

-4.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$2.63 CUP 63.0

-22.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.44 CUP 10.47

31.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$20.37 CUP 489

-70.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.25 CUP 29.97

29.60%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$61.1K CUP 1.5M

-62.66%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$61.0K CUP 1.5M

-56.29%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$47.74 CUP 1,146

36.66%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$39.30 CUP 943

-23.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$90.8 CUP 2,179

-59.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$19.09 CUP 458

219.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$13.13 CUP 315

103.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$0.82 CUP 19.65

735.37%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$113 CUP 2,708

301.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$7,009 CUP 168.2K

90.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$37.64 CUP 903

99.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$36.87 CUP 885

49.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$69.9 CUP 1,678

62.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$56.9 CUP 1,367

115.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$256 CUP 6,148

342.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$216 CUP 5,184

229.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$949 CUP 22.8K

170.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$538 CUP 12.9K

143.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$334 CUP 8,012

1096.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$399 CUP 9,564

425.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$33.40 CUP 802

3034.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

9.1

24.18%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Havana: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $256 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 3034% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $27.00 in Havana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $261 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 88% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $877 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3034% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $256 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 $27.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $877 in Havana – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $877 in Havana versus $1,646 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 88% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.