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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $964 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,538 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,112 in Havana.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 52% more expensive than Havana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Havana is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.71 CUP 89.0

255.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$29.74 CUP 714

81.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.47 CUP 155

45.60%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$1.24 CUP 29.75

186.29%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$2.22 CUP 53.4

-27.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$1.52 CUP 36.56

-26.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$2.01 CUP 48.25

55.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$2.46 CUP 59.1

88.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$3.36 CUP 80.7

-49.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$1.07 CUP 25.70

154.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$2.35 CUP 56.4

-18.72%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$3.56 CUP 85.5

-28.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$4.93 CUP 118

103.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.29 CUP 127

52.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$9.56 CUP 229

21.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$5.03 CUP 121

-40.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.38 CUP 33.13

31.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$2.42 CUP 58.2

-16.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$1.69 CUP 40.54

20.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$2.81 CUP 67.4

-24.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$2.77 CUP 66.5

-18.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$1.02 CUP 24.57

37.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$1.14 CUP 27.35

-0.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$3.90 CUP 93.6

9.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$3.97 CUP 95.3

291.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$2.09 CUP 50.2

-15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$1.93 CUP 46.22

86.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$1.28 CUP 30.74

-70.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$24.77 CUP 595

-22.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$3.13 CUP 75.0

-55.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.48 CUP 11.53

-41.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$15.13 CUP 363

-63.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.26 CUP 30.30

3.17%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$60.5K CUP 1.5M

-69.09%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$66.9K CUP 1.6M

-65.42%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$37.68 CUP 904

8.44%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$40.35 CUP 968

-33.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$74.3 CUP 1,782

-59.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$40.12 CUP 963

29.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$6.12 CUP 147

338.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$0.88 CUP 21.16

615.91%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$114 CUP 2,741

281.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$10.1K CUP 242.3K

3.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$40.14 CUP 963

41.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$33.68 CUP 808

31.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$75.1 CUP 1,802

37.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$84.5 CUP 2,027

24.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$371 CUP 8,905

175.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$291 CUP 6,982

116.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$1,012 CUP 24.3K

111.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$596 CUP 14.3K

108.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$335 CUP 8,037

1065.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$406 CUP 9,742

408.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$33.02 CUP 792

3276.89%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Havana: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $371 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 3277% 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 $288 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 52% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $964 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 3277% more on average, 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $371 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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $964 in Havana – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $964 in Havana versus $1,467 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 52% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.