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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,885 in Lulea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $3,023 in Lulea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $4,161 in Lulea.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 22% less than in Lulea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Lulea 41% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Lulea
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.18 MX$228
$12.89 SEK 120
2.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.9 MX$932
$93.8 SEK 875
-42.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.42 MX$163
$12.01 SEK 112
-21.57%
Cappuccino
$3.55 MX$61.4
$4.65 SEK 43.39
-23.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.98
$2.56 SEK 23.88
-36.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 MX$19.27
$2.06 SEK 19.25
-46.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.12 MX$54.0
$8.46 SEK 78.9
-63.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63 MX$80.1
$9.98 SEK 93.2
-53.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Lulea
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$29.43
$1.93 SEK 18.02
-11.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 MX$47.02
$3.55 SEK 33.15
-23.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 MX$33.07
$5.02 SEK 46.86
-61.95%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$43.86
$4.95 SEK 46.21
-48.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.03 MX$174
$12.91 SEK 120
-22.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.09 MX$140
$13.97 SEK 130
-42.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.62 MX$201
$27.38 SEK 255
-57.56%
Apples (1kg)
$2.97 MX$51.3
$2.69 SEK 25.13
10.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 MX$31.24
$2.80 SEK 26.15
-35.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.01 MX$34.82
$2.62 SEK 24.49
-23.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$35.20
$4.52 SEK 42.17
-55.09%
Potato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$36.75
$2.18 SEK 20.33
-2.75%
Onion (1kg)
$2.27 MX$39.25
$1.64 SEK 15.26
38.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 MX$24.22
$3.42 SEK 31.88
-59.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 MX$19.55
$1.45 SEK 13.53
-22.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$73.9
$7.45 SEK 69.5
-42.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.56 MX$269
$12.66 SEK 118
22.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 MX$30.39
$1.83 SEK 17.10
-3.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60 MX$62.2
$1.80 SEK 16.77
100.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Lulea
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 MX$6.62
$3.36 SEK 31.39
-88.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.18 MX$332
$60.1 SEK 561
-68.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.38 MX$23.79
$9.53 SEK 88.9
-85.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 MX$4.78
$1.71 SEK 16.00
-83.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 MX$94.2
$75.1 SEK 700
-92.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 MX$22.55
$1.89 SEK 17.60
-31.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.7K MX$323.2K
$32.0K SEK 298.4K
-41.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1K MX$400.1K
$34.9K SEK 325.5K
-33.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Lulea
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.86 MX$707
$174 SEK 1,627
-76.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.81 MX$464
$33.07 SEK 309
-18.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.96 MX$518
$28.42 SEK 265
5.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Lulea
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$900
$49.17 SEK 459
5.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.84 MX$464
$36.67 SEK 342
-26.81%
Cinema Ticket
$6.30 MX$109
$13.75 SEK 128
-54.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Lulea
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$436 MX$7,544
$159 SEK 1,481
174.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.4K MX$180.2K
$5,764 SEK 53.8K
80.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Lulea
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.7 MX$980
$125 SEK 1,168
-54.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.38 MX$768
$33.73 SEK 315
31.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 MX$1,780
$126 SEK 1,175
-18.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 MX$1,825
$172 SEK 1,605
-38.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Lulea
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,022 MX$17.7K
$791 SEK 7,376
29.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$631 MX$10.9K
$578 SEK 5,395
9.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,136 MX$36.9K
$1,413 SEK 13.2K
51.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,243 MX$21.5K
$1,053 SEK 9,824
18.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,903 MX$67.5K
$3,337 SEK 31.1K
16.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,064 MX$35.7K
$2,379 SEK 22.2K
-13.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Lulea
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,115 MX$19.3K
$2,732 SEK 25.5K
-59.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.34
4.2
170.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lulea: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $791 in Lulea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lulea pays 145% 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 $94.0 in Lulea for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $428 per month, with Mexico City 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 Lulea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mexico City or Lulea?
Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Lulea. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Mexico City or Lulea?
On paper, Lulea earns 145% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Mexico City vs Lulea?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $791 in Lulea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Mexico City or Lulea?
Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Lulea. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Mexico City vs Lulea?
Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $94.0 in Lulea. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Mexico City or Lulea?
At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,885 in Lulea, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Lulea. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mexico City or Lulea?
Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,467 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.
How safe is Mexico City compared to Lulea?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Lulea are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Lulea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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