Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kingston

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,561 a month against $2,224 in Kingston, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
Learn more

Mexico City Living Index
108

Cost of Living Index in Kingston
Learn more

Kingston Living Index

Jump to prices

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,561

/mo nomad

Kingston

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,224

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Kingston

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 Kingston actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,561 per month in Mexico City vs $2,224 in Kingston, rent included.

Mexico City $1,561
Kingston $2,224

A couple spends around $2,440 per month in Mexico City vs $3,051 in Kingston, rent included.

Mexico City $2,440
Kingston $3,051

A family of three spends $3,319 per month in Mexico City vs $3,879 in Kingston, rent included.

Mexico City $3,319
Kingston $3,879

Mexico City is about 30% cheaper than Kingston, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Mexico City and Kingston sit above the global median – Mexico City by 16%, Kingston by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 MX$204

$14.71 CA$20.97

-24.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.99 MX$900

$62.7 CA$89.3

-21.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 MX$206

$11.17 CA$15.92

0.54%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$69.0

$3.51 CA$5.00

7.12%

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

$1.65 MX$30.34

$2.01 CA$2.87

-17.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$23.48

$1.31 CA$1.86

-2.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MX$59.8

$5.87 CA$8.37

-44.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 MX$104

$6.27 CA$8.93

-9.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$33.23

$2.04 CA$2.90

-11.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 MX$54.0

$2.44 CA$3.48

20.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$37.62

$3.29 CA$4.69

-37.69%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$53.7

$2.90 CA$4.14

1.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 MX$219

$10.27 CA$14.64

16.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 MX$175

$11.31 CA$16.12

-15.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 MX$273

$9.99 CA$14.24

48.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$57.7

$2.89 CA$4.12

8.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.99

$1.14 CA$1.63

76.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$38.10

$3.51 CA$5.00

-40.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 MX$40.72

$3.55 CA$5.06

-37.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$37.82

$3.30 CA$4.71

-37.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$34.46

$2.24 CA$3.19

-16.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.18

$2.61 CA$3.72

-43.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$24.70

$1.58 CA$2.26

-14.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 MX$99.3

$13.40 CA$19.10

-59.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 MX$310

$12.16 CA$17.33

38.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$36.43

$2.17 CA$3.09

-8.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MX$79.4

$3.28 CA$4.68

31.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.33

$2.48 CA$3.54

-86.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.23 MX$371

$56.2 CA$80.0

-63.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$38.47

$3.07 CA$4.37

-31.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.74

$1.50 CA$2.14

-64.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$99.3

$31.06 CA$44.27

-82.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$27.91

$1.14 CA$1.63

33.33%

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

$21.7K MX$399.0K

$27.6K CA$39.3K

-21.15%

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

$24.8K MX$455.6K

$18.7K CA$26.7K

32.62%

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

$63.0 MX$1,156

$120 CA$171

-47.56%

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

$28.88 MX$530

$38.49 CA$54.9

-24.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.93 MX$623

$63.2 CA$90.1

-46.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MX$1,024

$28.06 CA$40.00

98.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.90 MX$457

$8.84 CA$12.60

181.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 MX$124

$10.41 CA$14.84

-34.97%

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

$428 MX$7,854

$514 CA$733

-16.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K MX$218.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 MX$1,286

$51.7 CA$73.7

35.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 MX$986

$32.55 CA$46.39

65.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$2,016

$79.7 CA$114

37.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MX$2,115

$85.3 CA$122

35.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 MX$19.5K

$1,535 CA$2,188

-30.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 MX$12.3K

$1,181 CA$1,684

-43.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,379 MX$43.7K

$2,287 CA$3,260

4.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 MX$23.1K

$1,544 CA$2,201

-18.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,716 MX$68.2K

$3,384 CA$4,824

9.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MX$36.3K

$2,449 CA$3,491

-19.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 MX$18.3K

$2,979 CA$4,246

-66.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.61

145.12%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Last update for Kingston: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$671 42.4%

Kingston

$1.2K 53.3% 76.1% $511

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$327 20.7%

Kingston

$326 14.7% 0.4% $1.3

Eating Out

Mexico City

$207 13.1%

Kingston

$248 11.2% 20% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$157 9.9%

Kingston

$112 5.1% 28.5% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 8%

Kingston

$222 10% 76.3% $96

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$69 4.4%

Kingston

$49 2.2% 29.5% $20

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Kingston

$77 3.5% 191% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Mexico City versus $1,535 in Kingston. 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 199% higher in Kingston, 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 $49.00 in Mexico City versus $63.0 in Kingston. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Mexico City vs $326 in Kingston – so Kingston wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇨🇦 Kingston

🕒 Local time

06:18 6:18 AM

08:18 8:18 AM

2 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

123,363

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mexico City Kingston 3,470 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Kingston

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 Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,561 in Mexico City, $2,224 in Kingston – roughly 43% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,341 per month in Mexico City and $3,336 in Kingston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,561 in Mexico City and $2,224 in Kingston. That's a gap of about 43%.

Public transport costs about 178% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,561, than in Kingston at $2,224. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,561 in Mexico City to $2,224 in Kingston. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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