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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,694 in Hella, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $2,923 in Hella, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $4,152 in Hella, rent included.

Mexico City is about 2% cheaper than Hella, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mexico City and Hella sit above the global median – Mexico City by 21%, Hella by 24%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$29.93 ISK 3,645

-60.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$137 ISK 16.6K

-62.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$26.99 ISK 3,287

-57.73%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$6.87 ISK 837

-41.92%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$3.25 ISK 396

-48.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$3.21 ISK 392

-58.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$13.88 ISK 1,690

-75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$12.29 ISK 1,497

-51.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$2.12 ISK 259

-11.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$4.32 ISK 526

-24.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$3.69 ISK 450

-41.46%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$7.01 ISK 854

-58.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$21.12 ISK 2,573

-39.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$24.72 ISK 3,011

-59.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$42.94 ISK 5,230

-63.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$3.35 ISK 408

-1.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$2.92 ISK 356

-31.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$3.16 ISK 385

-30.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$6.25 ISK 762

-62.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$4.13 ISK 504

-50.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.66 ISK 202

14.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$3.81 ISK 465

-57.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.76 ISK 214

-20.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$13.87 ISK 1,690

-60.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$24.10 ISK 2,936

-26.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$3.79 ISK 462

-45.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.37 ISK 410

38.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$6.79 ISK 827

-69.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$2.83 ISK 345

-80.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$74.9 ISK 9,118

-92.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$2.02 ISK 246

-20.30%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$50.8K ISK 6.2M

-55.03%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$54.3K ISK 6.6M

-50.76%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$88.2 ISK 10.7K

-26.09%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$32.75 ISK 3,989

-8.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$83.8 ISK 10.2K

-55.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$19.68 ISK 2,396

-64.23%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$1,190 ISK 144.9K

-60.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$30.6K ISK 3.7M

-56.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$161 ISK 19.6K

-52.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$67.1 ISK 8,170

-16.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$182 ISK 22.1K

-38.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$252 ISK 30.6K

-52.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

8.88

27.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Hella: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $137 in Hella. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $627 – 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 Hella: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City, $1,694 in Hella – roughly 2% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $2,541 in Hella. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,660 in Mexico City and $1,694 in Hella. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Mexico City and $1,190 in Hella. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,660, than in Hella at $1,694. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hella it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,660 in Mexico City to $1,694 in Hella. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hella makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.