😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,001 in Krabi.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,452 in Krabi.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,903 in Krabi.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 47% more expensive than Krabi, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Krabi is 25% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Krabi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.18MX$228
$3.12฿102
322.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.9MX$931
$24.63฿804
118.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42MX$163
$6.03฿197
56.22%
Cappuccino
$3.55MX$61.3
$2.67฿87.3
32.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.95
$0.95฿30.88
70.53%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11MX$19.25
$0.40฿12.98
177.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.12MX$53.9
$2.39฿78.0
30.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63MX$80.0
$2.83฿92.4
63.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Krabi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70MX$29.40
$2.51฿82.1
-32.27%
White Bread(500g)
$2.72MX$46.97
$2.45฿80.0
11.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.91MX$33.04
$1.94฿63.5
-1.55%
Eggs
$2.54MX$43.82
$2.16฿70.6
17.59%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.03MX$173
$27.55฿900
-63.59%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.09MX$140
$3.61฿118
124.10%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.62MX$201
$7.83฿256
48.40%
Apples(1kg)
$2.97MX$51.3
$2.47฿80.5
20.24%
Banana(1kg)
$1.81MX$31.21
$0.89฿28.91
103.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.01MX$34.79
$1.89฿61.8
6.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03MX$35.16
$1.95฿63.6
4.10%
Potato(1kg)
$2.12MX$36.71
$1.50฿48.88
41.33%
Onion(1kg)
$2.27MX$39.21
$1.35฿44.09
68.15%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.40MX$24.20
$1.48฿48.42
-5.41%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.53
$0.44฿14.51
156.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27MX$73.8
$3.65฿119
16.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.56MX$269
$10.98฿358
41.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.36
$1.70฿55.6
3.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60MX$62.1
$3.12฿102
15.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Krabi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.38MX$6.62
$1.20฿39.20
-68.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.18MX$331
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.38MX$23.77
$1.11฿36.11
24.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.28MX$4.78
$1.19฿38.77
-76.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.45MX$94.1
$6.15฿201
-11.38%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30MX$22.53
$1.20฿39.19
8.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.7KMX$322.9K
$28.2K฿921.3K
-33.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1KMX$399.7K
$27.9K฿912.0K
-17.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Krabi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.86MX$706
$43.78฿1,430
-6.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.81MX$463
$12.83฿419
108.96%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.96MX$518
$27.96฿913
7.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Krabi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.0MX$899
$40.95฿1,338
27.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.84MX$464
$12.26฿400
118.92%
Cinema Ticket
$6.30MX$109
$6.78฿222
-7.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Krabi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,536
$213฿6,951
104.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.4KMX$180.0K
$7,852฿256.4K
32.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Krabi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.7MX$979
$32.98฿1,077
71.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.38MX$767
$34.73฿1,134
27.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,779
$108฿3,528
-4.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106MX$1,823
$76.3฿2,491
38.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Krabi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,022MX$17.7K
$498฿16.3K
105.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$631MX$10.9K
$372฿12.1K
69.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,136MX$36.9K
$596฿19.5K
258.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,243MX$21.5K
$445฿14.5K
179.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,903MX$67.4K
$1,212฿39.6K
222.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,064MX$35.7K
$1,070฿35.0K
92.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Krabi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,115MX$19.3K
$732฿23.9K
52.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
5.45
108.07%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026
Last update for Krabi: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $498 in Krabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mexico City pays 52% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $25.00 in Krabi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $280 per month, with Krabi cheaper across the board.
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 Krabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Krabi?
Mexico City and Krabi differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $1,001 including rent). Krabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Mexico City or Krabi?
Mexico City pays 52% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Krabi?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $498 in Krabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Mexico City or Krabi?
All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $1,001 in Krabi – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,001 in Krabi versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Krabi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Krabi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Krabi?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Mexico City or Krabi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Krabi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Krabi?
Expats usually find Krabi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared