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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $519 in Kalar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $776 in Kalar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,034 in Kalar.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 183% more expensive than Kalar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Kalar is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$1.86 IQD 2,435

608.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$931

$12.16 IQD 15.9K

343.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$3.61 IQD 4,722

160.94%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.3

$1.04 IQD 1,365

241.35%

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

$1.62 MX$27.95

$0.49 IQD 637

230.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.25

$0.15 IQD 200

640.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$53.9

$1.93 IQD 2,528

61.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.0

$2.06 IQD 2,700

124.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.40

$1.05 IQD 1,374

61.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$46.97

$0.85 IQD 1,107

220.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.04

$1.56 IQD 2,042

22.44%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.82

$1.32 IQD 1,730

92.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$173

$3.52 IQD 4,604

184.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$2.35 IQD 3,079

244.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$12.29 IQD 16.1K

-5.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$0.92 IQD 1,204

222.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.21

$1.14 IQD 1,495

58.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.79

$1.00 IQD 1,309

101.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.16

$0.75 IQD 980

170.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.71

$0.70 IQD 920

202.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.21

$0.72 IQD 941

215.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.20

$0.71 IQD 934

97.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.53

$0.44 IQD 581

156.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$2.65 IQD 3,468

61.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$12.66 IQD 16.6K

22.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.36

$1.43 IQD 1,877

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.1

$1.95 IQD 2,550

84.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.59 IQD 776

-35.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$331

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

-38.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$2.33 IQD 3,054

-40.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.88 IQD 2,456

-85.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.1

$3.79 IQD 4,966

43.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.53

$0.64 IQD 840

103.13%

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

$18.7K MX$322.9K

$16.9K IQD 22.2M

10.47%

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

$23.1K MX$399.7K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

23.08%

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

$40.86 MX$706

$54.5 IQD 71.3K

-24.96%

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

$26.81 MX$463

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

97.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$23.89 IQD 31.3K

25.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$899

$19.20 IQD 25.1K

170.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$17.14 IQD 22.4K

56.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.55 IQD 9,881

-16.56%

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

$436 MX$7,536

$52.0 IQD 68.1K

738.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.0K

$1,522 IQD 2.0M

584.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$979

$12.83 IQD 16.8K

341.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$767

$13.93 IQD 18.2K

218.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,779

$26.51 IQD 34.7K

288.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,823

$32.27 IQD 42.3K

226.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$174 IQD 228.0K

486.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$105 IQD 137.0K

503.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$282 IQD 368.6K

658.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$146 IQD 190.5K

754.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.4K

$3,312 IQD 4.3M

17.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$456 IQD 597.7K

352.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$337 IQD 441.8K

230.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.67

100.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kalar: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $174 in Kalar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 230% 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 $12.00 in Kalar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $157 per month, with Kalar cheaper across the board.

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 Kalar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 183% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 230% 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 $174 in Kalar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kalar – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $519 in Kalar – a 183% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $519 in Kalar versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kalar but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Kalar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kalar 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 Kalar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 183% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.