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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $987 in Ibb.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,625 in Ibb.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,263 in Ibb.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 48% more expensive than in Ibb, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Ibb is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$6.79 YER 1,606

92.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$41.32 YER 9,781

30.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$12.77 YER 3,023

-24.20%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.03 YER 480

84.24%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$1.67 YER 395

-2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.53 YER 126

118.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$3.29 YER 778

-49.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.17 YER 277

135.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$4.82 YER 1,140

-61.20%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$6.53 YER 1,545

-61.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.58 YER 2,268

6.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$12.30 YER 2,912

-32.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$27.51 YER 6,512

-57.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$5.71 YER 1,352

-47.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$2.14 YER 507

-15.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$6.26 YER 1,482

-68.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$3.73 YER 883

-46.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$2.30 YER 545

-9.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$2.10 YER 496

8.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.77 YER 182

89.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.46 YER 346

-26.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.43 YER 813

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$4.18 YER 988

4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$2.06 YER 488

-35.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$4.06 YER 961

-67.00%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$40.69 MX$714

$91.3 YER 21.6K

-55.43%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$15.57 YER 3,685

72.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$76.6 YER 18.1K

-60.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$82.2 YER 19.4K

-35.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

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

$428 MX$7,508

$29.42 YER 6,963

1355.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$3,391 YER 802.6K

209.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$28.45 YER 6,735

101.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$48.93 YER 11.6K

112.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$58.1 YER 13.7K

85.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$216 YER 51.2K

363.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$161 YER 38.2K

285.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$586 YER 138.7K

259.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$396 YER 93.7K

207.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$354 YER 83.8K

193.18%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ibb: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $216 in Ibb. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 193% 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 $292 vs $380, 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 193% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,003 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 30% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $987 in Ibb – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Ibb versus $1,456 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 48% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.