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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,668 in Mexico City versus $3,012 in Keflavik.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $4,626 in Keflavik.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Mexico City versus $6,240 in Keflavik.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 45% less than in Keflavik, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 24% above, Keflavik 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$213

$24.69 ISK 2,989

-51.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$934

$134 ISK 16.2K

-60.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$207

$20.31 ISK 2,459

-42.44%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$68.4

$4.00 ISK 485

-3.25%

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

$1.75 MX$30.94

$3.37 ISK 408

-48.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$24.65

$3.27 ISK 397

-57.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$59.4

$8.22 ISK 995

-59.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$102

$8.39 ISK 1,015

-31.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$31.92

$2.05 ISK 249

-11.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$54.5

$4.42 ISK 536

-30.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.65

$2.41 ISK 292

-11.62%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$52.6

$6.28 ISK 760

-52.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$221

$19.22 ISK 2,327

-34.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$181

$24.61 ISK 2,980

-58.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$281

$42.48 ISK 5,144

-62.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$59.8

$2.45 ISK 296

38.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.24

$2.49 ISK 302

-15.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.59

$2.40 ISK 291

-11.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$43.61

$4.02 ISK 487

-38.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.03

$3.14 ISK 380

-35.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.59

$1.67 ISK 202

20.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.15

$3.74 ISK 453

-57.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.50

$1.78 ISK 216

-25.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$97.0

$13.93 ISK 1,687

-60.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$310

$16.34 ISK 1,978

7.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$35.61

$3.68 ISK 446

-45.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.8

$2.95 ISK 357

60.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.94

$3.64 ISK 441

-90.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$373

$78.2 ISK 9,474

-73.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.28

$6.53 ISK 791

-68.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.75

$2.61 ISK 316

-76.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$101

$75.5 ISK 9,136

-92.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.09

$2.00 ISK 242

-20.50%

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

$22.9K MX$404.6K

$50.1K ISK 6.1M

-54.32%

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

$26.4K MX$466.2K

$54.0K ISK 6.5M

-51.18%

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

$64.2 MX$1,135

$88.9 ISK 10.8K

-27.76%

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

$29.42 MX$520

$32.33 ISK 3,915

-9.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$651

$82.9 ISK 10.0K

-55.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,038

$81.0 ISK 9,813

-27.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$123

$19.50 ISK 2,361

-64.36%

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

$463 MX$8,180

$406 ISK 49.2K

13.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$236.2K

$30.5K ISK 3.7M

-56.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,333

$160 ISK 19.4K

-52.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$958

$66.5 ISK 8,047

-18.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,965

$180 ISK 21.8K

-38.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,160

$196 ISK 23.7K

-37.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.0K

$1,900 ISK 230.0K

-40.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.3K

$1,361 ISK 164.8K

-48.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.2K

$2,547 ISK 308.5K

-4.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.0K

$2,097 ISK 253.9K

-37.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$69.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

$3,760 ISK 455.3K

-72.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

8.88

27.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Keflavik: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Mexico City and $1,900 in Keflavik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keflavik pays 257% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $134 in Keflavik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $571 per month, with Mexico City 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 Keflavik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 81% lower than in Keflavik. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 257% lower in Keflavik. 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: $1,133 in Mexico City versus $1,900 in Keflavik. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 271% less than in Keflavik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $463 in Mexico City versus $406 in Keflavik. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,668 in Mexico City versus $3,012 in Keflavik, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Keflavik. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,668 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Keflavik are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Keflavik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.