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 $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $1,240 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $2,188 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $3,137 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 17% more than Koh Samui, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$4.52 ฿147

187.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$46.22 ฿1,506

13.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$8.77 ฿286

7.53%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.93 ฿95.3

21.84%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.69 ฿22.57

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.39 ฿12.71

194.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.50 ฿81.5

26.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.68 ฿120

32.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.17 ฿70.7

-21.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.82 ฿59.1

45.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.20 ฿71.6

-13.64%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.23 ฿72.6

13.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$19.55 ฿637

-48.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.78 ฿123

119.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$13.10 ฿427

-11.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.35 ฿109

-9.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.65 ฿53.6

3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.30 ฿74.9

-10.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$2.00 ฿65.3

3.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.60 ฿52.2

28.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.43 ฿46.64

51.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.98 ฿31.94

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.49 ฿15.96

128.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.41 ฿144

-2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$18.67 ฿608

-17.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.86 ฿60.6

-10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.71 ฿88.2

36.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$1.42 ฿46.15

-73.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$47.10 ฿1,534

-59.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$3.21 ฿105

-57.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.10 ฿35.73

-74.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$14.33 ฿467

-62.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.42 ฿46.09

-9.86%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$29.3K ฿953.7K

-35.18%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$34.8K ฿1.1M

-32.62%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$129 ฿4,210

-68.27%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$14.22 ฿463

89.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$19.86 ฿647

49.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$63.8 ฿2,076

-17.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$17.91 ฿583

46.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$9.45 ฿308

-34.60%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$769 ฿25.0K

-44.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$17.6K ฿573.7K

-39.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$57.7 ฿1,881

-1.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$34.38 ฿1,120

30.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$114 ฿3,714

-8.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$85.2 ฿2,773

24.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$516 ฿16.8K

92.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$371 ฿12.1K

67.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,753 ฿57.1K

21.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$1,279 ฿41.7K

-2.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$3,127 ฿101.9K

24.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$2,226 ฿72.5K

-5.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$402 ฿13.1K

175.33%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Koh Samui: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $516 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 175% 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 – $288 in Mexico City vs $290 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: $1,447 in Mexico City, $1,240 in Koh Samui – roughly 17% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,860 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 1% 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 $1,240, than in Mexico City at $1,447. 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 $1,240 in Koh Samui to $1,447 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.