Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Khon Kaen Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Khon Kaen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $630 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,052 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,473 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 164% more than Khon Kaen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Khon Kaen is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.04 ฿101

292.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$30.43 ฿1,012

69.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$5.96 ฿198

91.44%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$1.52 ฿50.7

162.50%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.63 ฿21.06

163.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.28 ฿9.16

375.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$1.82 ฿60.7

90.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$6.60 ฿219

-10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$0.89 ฿29.57

142.70%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.47 ฿82.1

17.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$0.92 ฿30.63

118.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.50 ฿49.79

46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.54 ฿51.2

23.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.61 ฿20.39

163.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.49 ฿16.42

185.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.69 ฿56.3

21.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$1.17 ฿39.04

-52.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.26 ฿41.94

27.78%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$45.6K ฿1.5M

-49.87%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$27.2K ฿905.8K

-1.80%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$95.3 ฿3,168

-31.58%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$18.02 ฿599

66.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$30.08 ฿1,000

23.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$60.8 ฿2,022

-1.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.11 ฿203

15.22%

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

$465 MX$7,976

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$8,895 ฿295.7K

49.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$29.89 ฿994

153.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$35.66 ฿1,186

56.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$76.7 ฿2,551

45.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$91.9 ฿3,055

31.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$287 ฿9,529

284.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$160 ฿5,316

350.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$750 ฿24.9K

237.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$491 ฿16.3K

163.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Khon Kaen: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $287 in Khon Kaen. 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $30.00 in Khon Kaen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $45.00 – making Khon Kaen 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 Khon Kaen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 164%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $945 in Khon Kaen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 669% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $30.00 in Khon Kaen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Khon Kaen, where all-in costs run around $630, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Khon Kaen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Khon Kaen – 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 Khon Kaen. 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.