Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Isle of Islay Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Isle of Islay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $2,314 in Isle of Islay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,342 per month in Mexico City vs $3,486 in Isle of Islay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Mexico City vs $4,658 in Isle of Islay, rent included.

Mexico City is about 36% cheaper than Isle of Islay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mexico City and Isle of Islay sit above the global median – Mexico City by 10%, Isle of Islay by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 MX$230

$20.71 £15.30

-35.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$931

$95.0 £70.2

-43.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 MX$161

$10.39 £7.68

-10.59%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.5

$4.41 £3.26

-18.14%

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

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.22 £1.64

-29.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.42

$1.32 £0.98

-15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.72 £4.23

-45.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$81.5

$5.82 £4.30

-19.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$2.09 £1.54

-18.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 MX$47.92

$1.50 £1.11

84.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.97

$2.49 £1.84

-21.29%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.11

$4.72 £3.49

-44.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 MX$172

$8.04 £5.94

23.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 MX$140

$9.55 £7.06

-15.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 MX$199

$15.72 £11.62

-26.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.72

$3.09 £2.29

-7.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.00

$2.44 £1.80

-29.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.65

$2.71 £2.00

-26.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.30

$4.61 £3.41

-55.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.06

$2.16 £1.60

-3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.03

$1.87 £1.38

17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.18

$1.26 £0.93

15.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$2.10 £1.55

-49.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$19.10 £14.12

-77.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 MX$248

$12.11 £8.95

18.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.55

$3.17 £2.34

-44.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MX$64.1

$2.96 £2.19

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.11

$3.42 £2.52

-89.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$332

$88.3 £65.3

-78.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 MX$23.13

$4.85 £3.59

-72.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.82

$1.53 £1.13

-81.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MX$92.4

$23.37 £17.27

-77.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$1.89 £1.39

-29.10%

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

$19.1K MX$331.2K

$38.6K £28.5K

-50.41%

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

$23.9K MX$413.6K

$47.8K £35.3K

-50.07%

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

$39.86 MX$690

$236 £175

-83.14%

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

$26.78 MX$464

$14.48 £10.70

84.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.36 MX$509

$47.06 £34.78

-37.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$925

$46.24 £34.17

15.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.09 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$111

$12.71 £9.40

-49.65%

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

$440 MX$7,629

$1,602 £1,184

-72.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MX$186.2K

$16.1K £11.9K

-33.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 MX$998

$97.6 £72.1

-40.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.02 MX$780

$65.8 £48.62

-31.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,797

$138 £102

-24.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,870

$120 £88.7

-10.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 MX$17.5K

$1,230 £909

-17.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MX$10.9K

$1,005 £742

-37.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,162 MX$37.4K

$2,022 £1,494

6.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 MX$21.2K

$1,695 £1,253

-27.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,793 MX$65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 MX$18.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.9

92.20%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026

Last update for Isle of Islay: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,013 in Mexico City versus $1,230 in Isle of Islay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54 in Mexico City versus $95 in Isle of Islay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $334 – 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 Isle of Islay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Isle of Islay is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,226 per month in Mexico City and $3,472 in Isle of Islay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $95.0 in Isle of Islay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,484 in Mexico City and $2,314 in Isle of Islay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Isle of Islay at $2,314. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Isle of Islay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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