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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,953 in Koh Phi Phi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $3,286 in Koh Phi Phi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $4,619 in Koh Phi Phi, rent included.

Mexico City is about 15% cheaper than Koh Phi Phi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mexico City and Koh Phi Phi sit above the global median – Mexico City by 21%, Koh Phi Phi by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$6.75 ฿225

76.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$48.93 ฿1,630

5.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$13.04 ฿434

-12.50%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$4.31 ฿144

-7.42%

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

$1.66 MX$28.58

$1.25 ฿41.71

32.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.85

$0.68 ฿22.63

95.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$3.70 ฿123

-6.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$5.78 ฿192

2.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.32

$2.27 ฿75.7

-17.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.69 ฿56.4

92.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.23

$1.85 ฿61.5

16.76%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.89

$2.55 ฿85.0

13.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$23.60 ฿786

-45.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.14 ฿138

142.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$13.20 ฿440

20.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$3.59 ฿120

-8.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.56

$1.99 ฿66.2

1.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.89

$2.79 ฿93.0

-21.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.58

$2.47 ฿82.3

-4.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.39

$1.76 ฿58.7

16.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.76

$1.60 ฿53.4

18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.34 ฿44.73

20.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.06

$0.65 ฿21.70

115.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$5.33 ฿178

2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$22.57 ฿752

-21.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.40

$2.23 ฿74.3

-7.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$3.50 ฿117

33.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$3.20 ฿107

-89.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.12

$4.15 ฿138

-49.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$1.49 ฿49.73

-62.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$5.28 ฿176

10.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.66

$2.03 ฿67.5

-20.69%

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

$22.8K MX$393.4K

$38.2K ฿1.3M

-40.28%

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

$26.8K MX$460.8K

$38.1K ฿1.3M

-29.78%

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

$65.2 MX$1,123

$115 ฿3,816

-43.08%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$12.16 ฿405

147.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$19.22 ฿640

93.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$63.5 ฿2,115

-5.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$13.09 ฿436

102.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$9.43 ฿314

-25.34%

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

$465 MX$8,003

$668 ฿22.3K

-30.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$14.0K ฿466.2K

-5.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$67.8 ฿2,258

11.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$964

$30.79 ฿1,026

81.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,927

$102 ฿3,388

10.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,076

$92.1 ฿3,070

30.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$1,633 ฿54.4K

-32.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$1,063 ฿35.4K

-32.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$4,561 ฿152.0K

-44.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$2,644 ฿88.1K

-51.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$7,761 ฿258.6K

-48.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$5,703 ฿190.0K

-63.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.57

102.87%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Koh Phi Phi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $1,633 in Koh Phi Phi. 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 $49.00 in Koh Phi Phi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $327 – making Koh Phi Phi 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 Phi Phi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City, $1,953 in Koh Phi Phi – roughly 18% apart. Koh Phi Phi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $2,929 in Koh Phi Phi. 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 $1,660 in Mexico City and $1,953 in Koh Phi Phi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Mexico City and $668 in Koh Phi Phi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,660, than in Koh Phi Phi at $1,953. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koh Phi Phi 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 $1,660 in Mexico City to $1,953 in Koh Phi Phi. 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, Koh Phi Phi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.