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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,481 per month in Mexico City vs $2,333 in Kingston, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,352 per month in Mexico City vs $3,300 in Kingston, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,222 per month in Mexico City vs $4,267 in Kingston, rent included.

Mexico City is about 37% cheaper than Kingston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Kingston sit above the global median – Mexico City by 11%, Kingston by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$229

$16.32 CA$23.02

-19.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$933

$74.1 CA$104

-27.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$166

$11.58 CA$16.34

-17.53%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$64.8

$3.57 CA$5.04

4.20%

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

$1.57 MX$27.28

$1.92 CA$2.71

-18.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.12

$1.36 CA$1.92

-14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.4

$6.02 CA$8.49

-47.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.6

$6.65 CA$9.39

-30.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.68

$2.54 CA$3.58

-32.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.54

$2.46 CA$3.47

6.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.87

$4.08 CA$5.76

-53.68%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.17

$2.85 CA$4.02

-8.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$172

$10.62 CA$14.98

-6.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$143

$11.61 CA$16.38

-29.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$205

$11.48 CA$16.20

2.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.1

$3.67 CA$5.18

-18.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.32

$1.31 CA$1.84

37.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.09

$4.18 CA$5.90

-50.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.23

$4.78 CA$6.75

-58.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.06

$3.41 CA$4.81

-39.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$2.41 CA$3.40

-9.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.42

$3.06 CA$4.31

-54.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.65 CA$2.32

-35.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$71.7

$13.64 CA$19.24

-69.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$303

$12.17 CA$17.16

43.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.16

$2.35 CA$3.32

-28.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.5

$3.36 CA$4.74

8.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$2.51 CA$3.54

-84.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

$58.5 CA$82.6

-68.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.13

$3.31 CA$4.66

-59.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.27

$1.59 CA$2.24

-81.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$95.9

$33.32 CA$47.00

-83.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$1.08 CA$1.52

21.30%

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

$19.2K MX$333.6K

$25.0K CA$35.3K

-23.38%

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

$23.7K MX$413.3K

$21.2K CA$29.9K

12.10%

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

$41.14 MX$716

$130 CA$183

-68.28%

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

$27.74 MX$483

$44.20 CA$62.3

-37.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$524

$78.5 CA$111

-61.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$935

$32.55 CA$45.92

65.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$452

$9.32 CA$13.15

178.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$10.85 CA$15.30

-40.18%

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

$437 MX$7,599

$437 CA$617

-0.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.0K

$11.6K CA$16.4K

-10.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,015

$46.23 CA$65.2

26.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$798

$36.01 CA$50.8

27.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,765

$95.9 CA$135

5.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,854

$93.4 CA$132

14.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.5K

$1,299 CA$1,833

-22.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

$1,157 CA$1,632

-45.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.4K

$2,097 CA$2,958

2.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.7K

$1,666 CA$2,350

-25.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.2K

$3,421 CA$4,825

12.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.3K

$2,507 CA$3,536

-16.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

$3,011 CA$4,247

-64.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.69

69.51%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Last update for Kingston: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,005 in Mexico City versus $1,299 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 181% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $74.0 in Kingston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $359 – making Mexico City 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 Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,481 in Mexico City, $2,333 in Kingston – roughly 58% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,222 per month in Mexico City and $3,499 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 $1,481 in Mexico City and $2,333 in Kingston. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 213% 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 $1,481, than in Kingston at $2,333. 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 $1,481 in Mexico City to $2,333 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.