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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $717 in Jilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,129 in Jilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,541 in Jilin, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 102% more than Jilin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Jilin is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$2.73 ¥18.48

375.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$918

$21.14 ¥143

148.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$165

$4.94 ¥33.42

90.89%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$62.3

$3.16 ¥21.39

12.97%

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

$1.61 MX$28.02

$0.41 ¥2.76

292.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$20.14

$0.22 ¥1.49

422.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$1.09 ¥7.38

188.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$84.8

$2.13 ¥14.39

128.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.66

$1.62 ¥11.00

4.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.53 ¥10.36

72.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.22

$0.90 ¥6.11

111.11%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.35

$1.62 ¥10.96

56.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$13.05 ¥88.4

-22.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.10 ¥21.01

167.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$202

$10.02 ¥67.8

15.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$1.74 ¥11.79

74.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.85

$1.20 ¥8.15

42.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.76

$1.40 ¥9.50

46.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.95

$1.14 ¥7.69

80.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$36.03

$0.67 ¥4.52

207.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.87

$0.97 ¥6.59

123.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.49

$0.59 ¥4.02

137.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.58

$0.55 ¥3.71

103.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$74.9

$3.09 ¥20.93

38.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$269

$10.98 ¥74.4

40.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$29.23

$0.76 ¥5.12

119.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$64.3

$1.64 ¥11.13

125.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.66

$0.27 ¥1.82

40.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$333

$16.47 ¥112

15.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.10

$0.99 ¥6.73

39.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.82

$0.35 ¥2.38

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.5

$6.54 ¥44.31

-17.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.35

$1.13 ¥7.66

13.27%

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

$19.0K MX$331.3K

$19.3K ¥131.0K

-1.87%

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

$23.5K MX$409.5K

$16.7K ¥113.1K

40.52%

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

$41.02 MX$716

$45.73 ¥310

-10.30%

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

$26.92 MX$470

$9.81 ¥66.4

174.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$518

$11.74 ¥79.5

152.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$913

$41.08 ¥278

27.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$458

$13.97 ¥94.6

87.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$108

$6.22 ¥42.10

-0.64%

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

$427 MX$7,454

$340 ¥2,304

25.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.7K

$17.0K ¥115.2K

-37.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$992

$42.66 ¥289

33.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$782

$30.97 ¥210

44.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,824

$70.6 ¥478

48.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,849

$74.0 ¥501

43.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.4K

$280 ¥1,896

255.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.8K

$191 ¥1,291

225.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$37.1K

$601 ¥4,073

253.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.9K

$358 ¥2,421

250.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.1K

$3,235 ¥21.9K

20.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.6K

$1,531 ¥10.4K

36.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.3K

$451 ¥3,052

145.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.87

193.02%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Jilin: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $280 in Jilin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 146% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $21.00 in Jilin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $195 – making Jilin 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 Jilin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 102% more than Jilin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,076 in Jilin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Mexico City and $340 in Jilin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jilin, where all-in costs run around $717, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Jilin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jilin costs $717 versus $1,447 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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