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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $864 in Howick.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,329 in Howick.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,793 in Howick.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 68% more expensive than Howick, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Howick is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.28 R 53.1

295.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$28.38 R 459

85.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.45 R 55.8

173.33%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.90 R 30.74

87.89%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.58 R 9.31

177.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.47 R 7.58

144.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.95 R 31.50

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.28 R 36.93

113.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.04 R 16.78

63.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.82 R 13.27

221.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.11 R 17.90

71.17%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.12 R 34.33

19.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$4.94 R 79.9

104.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$2.27 R 36.74

265.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$4.91 R 79.3

135.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.50 R 24.30

102.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.13 R 18.31

51.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.38 R 22.30

48.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.13 R 18.27

82.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.87 R 14.02

136.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.18 R 19.06

83.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.91 R 14.68

53.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.90 R 14.50

24.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.10 R 50.1

38.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$4.81 R 77.7

220.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.15 R 18.57

45.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.10 R 17.76

235.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$1.63 R 26.27

-76.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.65 R 26.64

-16.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.61 R 9.92

-54.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$6.75 R 109

-19.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.19 R 19.18

7.56%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$14.0K R 226.1K

35.72%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$22.8K R 367.9K

3.10%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$146 R 2,360

-71.89%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$13.82 R 223

94.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$33.73 R 545

-11.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$30.89 R 499

69.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.47 R 88.4

12.98%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$101 R 1,636

321.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$4,579 R 74.0K

133.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$41.52 R 671

36.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$14.12 R 228

217.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$83.0 R 1,342

25.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$44.18 R 714

139.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$364 R 5,886

173.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$336 R 5,424

85.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$680 R 11.0K

212.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$694 R 11.2K

80.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,000 R 16.2K

290.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$634 R 10.2K

230.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

12.01

-5.58%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Howick: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $364 in Howick. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $28.00 in Howick for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $135 per month, with Howick 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 Howick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Howick is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,296 in Howick to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $364 in Howick. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $101 in Howick. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Howick – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $864 in Howick versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Howick but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Howick the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Howick is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Howick are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Howick gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.