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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $1,228 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $2,217 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $3,206 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 20% more than Koh Samui, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Koh Samui is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$4.57 ฿152

187.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$46.28 ฿1,544

15.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$8.78 ฿293

6.26%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.97 ฿99.0

24.58%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.69 ฿23.12

131.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.40 ฿13.22

180.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.53 ฿84.5

24.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$3.62 ฿121

33.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$2.15 ฿71.8

-23.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.83 ฿60.9

48.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.16 ฿72.1

-11.57%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.22 ฿74.2

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$19.26 ฿642

-49.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$3.63 ฿121

132.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$13.49 ฿450

-11.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.21 ฿107

-8.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.62 ฿54.0

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.29 ฿76.5

-10.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$2.00 ฿66.6

3.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.55 ฿51.8

38.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.49 ฿49.68

51.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.03 ฿34.33

34.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.48 ฿15.85

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$4.41 ฿147

-4.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$18.29 ฿610

-4.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.84 ฿61.5

-7.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.66 ฿88.8

36.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$1.49 ฿49.58

-76.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$45.92 ฿1,532

-57.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$3.30 ฿110

-58.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.04 ฿34.78

-73.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$14.78 ฿493

-64.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.43 ฿47.68

-4.90%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$28.7K ฿958.5K

-33.51%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$35.4K ฿1.2M

-33.30%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$130 ฿4,333

-68.80%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$14.29 ฿477

91.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$19.77 ฿659

53.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$62.8 ฿2,094

-16.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$17.65 ฿589

50.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$9.65 ฿322

-35.85%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$762 ฿25.4K

-44.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$17.3K ฿577.2K

-37.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$59.1 ฿1,971

-1.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$34.58 ฿1,154

28.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$114 ฿3,817

-9.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$86.3 ฿2,880

25.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$529 ฿17.7K

91.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$375 ฿12.5K

66.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$1,754 ฿58.5K

20.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$1,285 ฿42.9K

-4.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$2,950 ฿98.4K

28.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$2,128 ฿71.0K

-0.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$397 ฿13.2K

165.25%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Koh Samui: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $529 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 165% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $46.00 in Koh Samui. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $287 – 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: $1,472 in Mexico City, $1,228 in Koh Samui – roughly 20% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,843 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 2% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City and $46.00 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 $1,228, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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 $1,228 in Koh Samui to $1,472 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.