Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Koh Chang Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Koh Chang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $986 in Koh Chang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,771 in Koh Chang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $2,556 in Koh Chang, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 51% more than Koh Chang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Koh Chang is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$226

$3.66 ฿119

254.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$923

$37.12 ฿1,207

42.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$169

$6.89 ฿224

41.07%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.2

$2.46 ฿80.0

52.44%

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

$1.57 MX$27.30

$0.59 ฿19.17

166.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.64

$0.29 ฿9.27

289.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.3

$2.00 ฿65.0

59.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.1

$2.89 ฿93.8

61.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.21

$1.95 ฿63.4

-16.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.09

$1.69 ฿54.9

60.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.70

$2.01 ฿65.3

-6.47%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.65

$1.99 ฿64.7

26.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$175

$17.70 ฿575

-43.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$3.39 ฿110

144.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$208

$11.84 ฿385

0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.77

$2.91 ฿94.7

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.45

$1.53 ฿49.66

14.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.27

$2.07 ฿67.3

0.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.27

$1.89 ฿61.3

4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.58

$1.45 ฿47.10

48.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.94

$1.35 ฿43.83

61.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.20

$0.93 ฿30.31

49.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.57

$0.43 ฿14.02

160.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.1

$3.86 ฿126

8.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$248

$17.39 ฿565

-18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.68

$1.68 ฿54.5

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.1

$2.39 ฿77.9

53.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$1.14 ฿36.98

-65.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.12

$2.42 ฿78.5

-42.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.29

$0.78 ฿25.44

-61.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.3

$11.14 ฿362

-51.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.50

$1.08 ฿35.03

25.00%

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

$18.9K MX$328.6K

$22.4K ฿728.8K

-15.76%

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

$23.2K MX$402.8K

$26.7K ฿867.2K

-13.21%

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

$40.82 MX$710

$118 ฿3,842

-65.46%

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

$27.50 MX$479

$12.83 ฿417

114.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$529

$17.68 ฿575

71.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$930

$52.1 ฿1,694

2.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

$14.32 ฿466

83.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$7.73 ฿251

-18.89%

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

$436 MX$7,588

$628 ฿20.4K

-30.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.1K

$14.2K ฿460.9K

-26.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$988

$56.7 ฿1,843

0.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$779

$33.40 ฿1,086

34.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,789

$108 ฿3,518

-4.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$79.9 ฿2,596

35.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.4K

$401 ฿13.0K

149.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.8K

$289 ฿9,397

114.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.2K

$1,318 ฿42.8K

62.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.5K

$960 ฿31.2K

28.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

$2,454 ฿79.8K

57.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

$1,721 ฿56.0K

35.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.33

112.76%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Koh Chang: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $401 in Koh Chang. 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $37.00 in Koh Chang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $263 – making Koh Chang 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 Koh Chang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City, $986 in Koh Chang – roughly 51% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,479 in Koh Chang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Koh Chang, 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 $1,484 in Mexico City and $986 in Koh Chang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $628 in Koh Chang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Chang, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Koh Chang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City 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 $986 in Koh Chang to $1,484 in Mexico City. 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 Koh Chang. 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.