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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,185 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,975 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $2,766 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 40% more than Koh Samui, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Koh Samui is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$4.59 ฿153

159.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$31.95 ฿1,067

61.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$8.51 ฿284

34.08%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.79 ฿93.2

43.01%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.84 ฿28.18

97.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.45 ฿15.18

195.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.40 ฿80.0

44.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.85 ฿129

53.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.82 ฿60.6

3.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.41 ฿47.15

130.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.59 ฿53.1

35.85%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.21 ฿73.6

31.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$19.33 ฿645

-33.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.46 ฿116

190.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$11.12 ฿371

42.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.98 ฿99.6

10.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.69 ฿56.5

18.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.28 ฿76.3

-3.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$2.16 ฿71.9

9.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.46 ฿48.76

40.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.33 ฿44.35

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.10 ฿36.71

46.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.59 ฿19.53

137.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.27 ฿143

27.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$18.72 ฿625

-5.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.79 ฿59.9

15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.81 ฿93.6

66.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$2.34 ฿78.3

-85.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$45.54 ฿1,520

-54.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$3.21 ฿107

-34.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.13 ฿37.67

-50.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$4.00 ฿134

45.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.55 ฿51.7

3.87%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$27.9K ฿932.7K

-18.25%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$27.9K ฿931.3K

-4.11%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$108 ฿3,613

-39.79%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$11.55 ฿385

160.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$18.57 ฿620

100.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$56.3 ฿1,878

6.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$11.50 ฿384

130.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$7.83 ฿261

-10.09%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$614 ฿20.5K

-24.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$12.9K ฿431.9K

2.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$64.5 ฿2,152

17.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$28.97 ฿967

93.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$97.2 ฿3,245

15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$89.9 ฿3,002

33.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$616 ฿20.6K

79.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$414 ฿13.8K

73.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,765 ฿58.9K

43.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$1,050 ฿35.1K

23.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$3,010 ฿100.5K

32.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$2,213 ฿73.9K

-5.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$389 ฿13.0K

166.54%

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 Samui: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $616 in Koh Samui. 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 167% higher in Mexico City, 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $32.00 in Koh Samui. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $272 – making Koh Samui 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 Samui: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City, $1,185 in Koh Samui – roughly 40% apart. Mexico City 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 $1,777 in Koh Samui. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 27% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $32.00 in Koh Samui. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Samui, where all-in costs run around $1,185, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Koh Samui it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Koh Samui has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,185 in Koh Samui to $1,660 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 Samui. 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.