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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $987 in Ibb.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,658 in Ibb.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,329 in Ibb.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 49% more expensive than Ibb, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Ibb is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$6.85 YER 1,633

92.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$40.65 YER 9,687

32.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$12.50 YER 2,978

-24.64%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.08 YER 495

70.67%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.60 YER 382

1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.50 YER 119

122.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$3.26 YER 778

-47.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.16 YER 276

134.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$4.74 YER 1,131

-59.70%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$6.43 YER 1,531

-60.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$9.11 YER 2,172

10.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$12.60 YER 3,002

-35.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$27.63 YER 6,585

-57.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$5.80 YER 1,382

-48.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$2.17 YER 517

-16.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$6.45 YER 1,537

-68.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$3.67 YER 876

-44.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$2.32 YER 554

-8.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.02 YER 481

12.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.78 YER 186

79.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.40 YER 334

-19.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.34 YER 795

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$4.04 YER 963

5.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.08 YER 496

-33.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$3.99 YER 952

-67.42%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

$90.8 YER 21.6K

-55.01%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$15.33 YER 3,652

74.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$77.6 YER 18.5K

-61.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$80.6 YER 19.2K

-35.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

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

$436 MX$7,544

$28.67 YER 6,833

1421.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$3,323 YER 791.9K

213.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$29.35 YER 6,993

93.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$48.95 YER 11.7K

110.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$57.5 YER 13.7K

83.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$216 YER 51.5K

372.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$160 YER 38.2K

293.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$571 YER 136.1K

274.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$395 YER 94.1K

214.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$352 YER 83.9K

216.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ibb: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $216 in Ibb. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 217% 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 $41.00 in Ibb. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $379, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ibb: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibb is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 217% 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 $216 in Ibb. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mexico City pay roughly 31% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $987 in Ibb – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Ibb versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibb but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ibb the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ibb 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.

Expats usually find Ibb gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.