Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kailua, HI

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,608 a month against $4,158 in Kailua, HI, rent and utilities included – about $30,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
199

Cost of Living Index in Kailua, HI
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Kailua, HI Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Kailua, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$4,158

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Kailua, HI

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Kailua, HI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $4,158 in Kailua, HI.

Mexico City $1,608
Kailua, HI $4,158

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $6,091 in Kailua, HI.

Mexico City $2,549
Kailua, HI $6,091

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $8,024 in Kailua, HI.

Mexico City $3,490
Kailua, HI $8,024

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 61% less than in Kailua, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 18% above, Kailua, HI 205% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 MX$198

$27.99 $27.99

-62.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.35 MX$901

$139 $139

-65.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 MX$193

$11.68 $11.68

-11.39%

Cappuccino

$3.69 MX$68.7

$6.44 $6.44

-42.70%

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

$1.67 MX$31.05

$3.02 $3.02

-44.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.58

$2.38 $2.38

-46.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$59.5

$9.40 $9.40

-66.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MX$98.9

$9.23 $9.23

-42.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$32.13

$2.16 $2.16

-20.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 MX$56.6

$7.58 $7.58

-59.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.17

$7.95 $7.95

-75.60%

Eggs

$2.89 MX$53.8

$8.24 $8.24

-64.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 MX$204

$18.83 $18.83

-41.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 MX$172

$16.04 $16.04

-42.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 MX$282

$21.78 $21.78

-30.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MX$56.8

$7.80 $7.80

-60.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.17

$4.32 $4.32

-55.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.73

$7.07 $7.07

-71.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$43.12

$9.39 $9.39

-75.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$37.91

$3.62 $3.62

-43.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MX$33.53

$4.85 $4.85

-62.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.56

$4.51 $4.51

-67.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.62

$3.18 $3.18

-60.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 MX$98.8

$13.08 $13.08

-59.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 MX$300

$16.76 $16.76

-3.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$36.95

$2.69 $2.69

-26.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$79.2

$2.12 $2.12

100.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.68

$3.90 $3.90

-92.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 MX$368

$91.1 $91.1

-78.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MX$34.23

$3.60 $3.60

-48.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.94

$2.59 $2.59

-79.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$98.7

$44.45 $44.45

-88.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$28.14

$1.26 $1.26

19.84%

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

$21.8K MX$405.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-37.83%

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

$24.0K MX$446.9K

$26.6K $26.6K

-9.84%

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

$63.0 MX$1,173

$249 $249

-74.72%

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

$27.39 MX$510

$50.1 $50.1

-45.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 MX$664

$66.9 $66.9

-46.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 MX$1,098

$70.8 $70.8

-16.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.64 MX$441

$40.13 $40.13

-41.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$119

$18.73 $18.73

-65.83%

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

$432 MX$8,041

$2,109 $2,109

-79.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$212.8K

$26.9K $26.9K

-57.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 MX$1,271

$62.3 $62.3

9.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MX$990

$47.57 $47.57

11.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$2,008

$103 $103

4.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,185

$129 $129

-9.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 MX$20.7K

$2,725 $2,725

-59.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MX$13.2K

$2,351 $2,351

-69.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 MX$48.2K

$4,306 $4,306

-39.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 MX$26.2K

$3,733 $3,733

-62.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,631 MX$67.6K

$12.3K $12.3K

-70.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,135 MX$39.8K

$9,638 $9,638

-77.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$17.6K

$4,764 $4,764

-80.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

6.7

69.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kailua, HI: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$710 44.2%

Kailua, HI

$2.4K 56.5% 231% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$320 19.9%

Kailua, HI

$632 15.2% 97.9% $313

Eating Out

Mexico City

$199 12.4%

Kailua, HI

$423 10.2% 113% $225

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$156 9.7%

Kailua, HI

$154 3.7% 1.2% $1.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 7.8%

Kailua, HI

$366 8.8% 190% $240

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$72 4.5%

Kailua, HI

$108 2.6% 51% $37

Getting Around

Mexico City

$25 1.6%

Kailua, HI

$123 3% 384% $98

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $2,725 in Kailua, HI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kailua, HI pays about 5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $48 in Mexico City vs $139 in Kailua, HI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $632 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇺🇸 Kailua, HI

🕒 Local time

20:16 8:16 PM

16:16 4:16 PM

4 h behind Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

11,975

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.37 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.74 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mexico City Kailua, HI 5,930 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Kailua, HI

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kailua, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is about 61% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 80% lower in Mexico City. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $2,725 in Kailua, HI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 78% less than in Kailua, HI. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $432 in Mexico City versus $2,109 in Kailua, HI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,608 in Mexico City versus $4,158 in Kailua, HI, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Kailua, HI. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Kailua, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.