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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $1,627 in Hella, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $2,850 in Hella, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $4,074 in Hella, rent included.

Mexico City is about 10% cheaper than Hella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Hella sit above the global median – Mexico City by 11%, Hella by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$26.50 ISK 3,276

-50.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$147 ISK 18.2K

-63.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$22.27 ISK 2,753

-58.11%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$6.01 ISK 743

-38.44%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$3.26 ISK 403

-50.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$2.52 ISK 312

-55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$12.63 ISK 1,561

-75.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$11.04 ISK 1,365

-56.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.94 ISK 240

-14.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$4.30 ISK 532

-36.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$3.74 ISK 462

-48.93%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$6.40 ISK 791

-59.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$18.20 ISK 2,250

-46.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$24.23 ISK 2,995

-65.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$41.93 ISK 5,183

-71.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.22 ISK 398

-8.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$2.54 ISK 314

-31.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$3.04 ISK 375

-32.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$4.95 ISK 612

-58.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$3.55 ISK 439

-39.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$2.31 ISK 286

-2.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$3.13 ISK 387

-55.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.95 ISK 241

-42.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$13.41 ISK 1,658

-68.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$22.81 ISK 2,820

-23.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$3.55 ISK 439

-51.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$3.36 ISK 416

8.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$6.49 ISK 803

-78.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$2.61 ISK 323

-89.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$84.9 ISK 10.5K

-93.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$2.47 ISK 305

-44.94%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$48.2K ISK 6.0M

-60.35%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$52.6K ISK 6.5M

-55.16%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$88.7 ISK 11.0K

-54.30%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$27.34 ISK 3,380

0.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$83.8 ISK 10.4K

-63.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$17.86 ISK 2,208

-65.34%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$317 ISK 39.1K

34.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$30.3K ISK 3.7M

-64.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$140 ISK 17.4K

-58.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$62.7 ISK 7,748

-28.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$181 ISK 22.4K

-42.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$261 ISK 32.2K

-58.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.63

17.76%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Hella: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $147 in Hella. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $594 – 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: $1,472 in Mexico City, $1,627 in Hella – roughly 11% apart. Hella costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $2,440 in Hella. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,472 in Mexico City and $1,627 in Hella. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $425 per month in Mexico City and $317 in Hella. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,472, than in Hella at $1,627. 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 $1,472 in Mexico City to $1,627 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.