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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $1,242 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $2,228 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $3,215 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 19% more than Koh Samui, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Koh Samui is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$4.51 ฿147

187.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$45.54 ฿1,489

16.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$8.77 ฿287

10.83%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.95 ฿96.5

27.12%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.68 ฿22.25

130.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.36 ฿11.84

213.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.48 ฿81.0

28.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$3.63 ฿119

28.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.15 ฿70.3

-24.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.86 ฿61.0

45.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$2.25 ฿73.4

-16.44%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.34 ฿76.4

7.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$19.40 ฿634

-48.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.66 ฿120

126.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$13.55 ฿443

-11.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$3.22 ฿105

-11.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.69 ฿55.3

3.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.28 ฿74.7

-8.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$2.05 ฿67.1

-3.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.53 ฿50.2

41.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.50 ฿49.09

45.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.02 ฿33.26

36.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.52 ฿16.90

115.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$4.39 ฿143

-4.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$19.64 ฿642

-27.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.76 ฿57.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.77 ฿90.7

32.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.49 ฿48.83

-73.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$47.03 ฿1,538

-60.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$3.17 ฿104

-56.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.10 ฿35.85

-72.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$14.28 ฿467

-62.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.36 ฿44.52

-0.74%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$29.5K ฿966.2K

-36.09%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$34.9K ฿1.1M

-33.59%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$131 ฿4,270

-68.74%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$14.15 ฿463

94.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$19.24 ฿629

57.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$63.5 ฿2,075

-15.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$18.08 ฿591

45.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$9.41 ฿308

-33.37%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$776 ฿25.4K

-43.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$17.7K ฿579.8K

-40.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$57.4 ฿1,878

-1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$34.57 ฿1,131

29.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$116 ฿3,802

-11.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$86.0 ฿2,811

25.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$521 ฿17.0K

92.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$378 ฿12.4K

64.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$1,775 ฿58.0K

20.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$1,255 ฿41.1K

-1.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$3,140 ฿102.7K

23.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$2,254 ฿73.7K

3.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$404 ฿13.2K

164.28%

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 Samui: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $521 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 164% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $46.00 in Koh Samui. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Mexico City vs $293 in Koh Samui – so Mexico City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,484 in Mexico City, $1,242 in Koh Samui – roughly 19% 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 $1,863 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Mexico City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 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 $1,242, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $1,242 in Koh Samui 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 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.