Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Livingstone Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Livingstone

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $175 in Livingstone, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $319 in Livingstone, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $462 in Livingstone, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 732% more than Livingstone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Livingstone is 87% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$6.20 ZMW 113

110.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$25.23 ZMW 459

113.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$7.36 ZMW 134

31.52%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$4.05 ZMW 73.7

-7.65%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.30 ZMW 5.53

286.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$22.63 ZMW 412

-24.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.74 ZMW 31.72

-83.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

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

$40.69 MX$709

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

$26.87 MX$468

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

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

$428 MX$7,454

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Livingstone: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $25.00 in Livingstone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $45.00 – making Livingstone 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 Livingstone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City, $175 in Livingstone – roughly 732% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $262 in Livingstone. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $25.00 in Livingstone. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,456 in Mexico City and $175 in Livingstone. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Livingstone, where all-in costs run around $175, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Livingstone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $175 in Livingstone to $1,456 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Livingstone. 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.