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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,682 per month in Mexico City vs $1,797 in Kista, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,599 per month in Mexico City vs $2,834 in Kista, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,516 per month in Mexico City vs $3,872 in Kista, rent included.

Mexico City is about 6% cheaper than Kista, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mexico City and Kista sit above the global median – Mexico City by 23%, Kista by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$14.32 SEK 136

-17.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$79.2 SEK 750

-34.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$10.67 SEK 101

1.87%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$4.86 SEK 46.07

-17.08%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$2.72 SEK 25.78

-37.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$2.18 SEK 20.61

-38.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$7.58 SEK 71.9

-55.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$7.54 SEK 71.5

-23.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.77 SEK 16.80

6.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$2.85 SEK 27.03

11.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$3.94 SEK 37.38

-47.97%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$4.62 SEK 43.82

-34.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$12.63 SEK 120

-0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$12.57 SEK 119

-20.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$18.74 SEK 178

-14.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$3.24 SEK 30.67

1.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$2.77 SEK 26.20

-25.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$3.16 SEK 29.96

-33.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$4.48 SEK 42.42

-44.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$1.68 SEK 15.90

22.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$1.66 SEK 15.76

12.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$2.42 SEK 22.89

-35.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$1.53 SEK 14.46

-9.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$7.49 SEK 71.0

-28.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$10.45 SEK 99.0

71.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$2.08 SEK 19.69

-2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$2.35 SEK 22.28

102.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$3.50 SEK 33.18

-89.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

$79.6 SEK 754

-73.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$6.35 SEK 60.2

-67.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$1.73 SEK 16.41

-67.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$62.1 SEK 588

-90.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$1.90 SEK 17.96

-18.95%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$35.3K SEK 334.2K

-36.33%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$33.9K SEK 321.1K

-21.87%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$115 SEK 1,093

-42.82%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$27.27 SEK 258

13.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$41.28 SEK 391

-12.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$40.20 SEK 381

43.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

$27.21 SEK 258

-1.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$16.99 SEK 161

-58.03%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$163 SEK 1,543

180.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$5,262 SEK 49.9K

151.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$92.7 SEK 878

-18.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$43.50 SEK 412

24.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$98.9 SEK 937

17.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$144 SEK 1,368

-15.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$853 SEK 8,085

34.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$627 SEK 5,943

15.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$1,396 SEK 13.2K

79.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$1,078 SEK 10.2K

23.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$4,300 SEK 40.7K

-9.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$2,906 SEK 27.5K

-26.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

3.48

226.15%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Kista: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,147 in Mexico City versus $853 in Kista. 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 $79.0 in Kista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $378 – 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 Kista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kista costs about 7% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,523 per month in Mexico City and $2,695 in Kista. 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 $1,682 in Mexico City and $1,797 in Kista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 283% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,682, than in Kista at $1,797. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kista it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,682 versus $1,797 in Kista. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Kista makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.