Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $131 a month against $1,674 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $18,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Maharagama, Sri Lanka
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,674
/mo nomad
Maharagama
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$131
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Maharagama

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Maharagama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,674 per month in Mexico City vs $131 in Maharagama, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,674
  • Maharagama $131

A couple spends around $2,606 per month in Mexico City vs $246 in Maharagama, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,606
  • Maharagama $246

A family of three spends $3,537 per month in Mexico City vs $361 in Maharagama, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,537
  • Maharagama $361

Mexico City costs about 1180% more than Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 24% above the global median, while Maharagama is 90% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Maharagama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.59 MX$197
$5.30 LKR 1,761
99.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.0 MX$967
$20.24 LKR 6,733
156.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.73 MX$200
$6.67 LKR 2,220
60.87%
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$70.6
$2.11 LKR 702
80.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$30.01
$0.64 LKR 213
151.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$22.55
$0.29 LKR 95.3
317.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 MX$59.1
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.44 MX$101
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Maharagama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$31.96
$0.87 LKR 288
97.70%
White Bread (500g)
$2.97 MX$55.2
$0.23 LKR 76.1
1191.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 MX$35.84
$0.50 LKR 167
286.00%
Eggs
$2.77 MX$51.6
$1.42 LKR 474
95.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.67 MX$217
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.48 MX$176
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.37 MX$286
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 MX$57.8
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 MX$36.49
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 MX$36.88
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 MX$43.46
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.66
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 MX$33.95
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.54 MX$28.74
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.42
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.35 MX$99.6
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$16.19 MX$301
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 MX$36.46
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 MX$81.0
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Maharagama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 MX$5.67
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.49 MX$363
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 MX$35.68
$0.44 LKR 146
336.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 MX$8.80
$0.46 LKR 154
2.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 MX$101
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 MX$27.61
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$397.7K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$442.1K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Maharagama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.0 MX$1,154
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.47 MX$530
$4.55 LKR 1,514
525.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11 MX$635
$13.38 LKR 4,450
154.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Maharagama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.4 MX$1,087
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.50 MX$456
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.59 MX$123
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Maharagama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$434 MX$8,081
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.0K MX$261.2K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Maharagama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.4 MX$1,272
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.8 MX$1,020
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 MX$2,063
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 MX$2,158
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Maharagama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,179 MX$21.9K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$771 MX$14.3K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,570 MX$47.8K
$198 LKR 65.9K
1196.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,420 MX$26.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,586 MX$66.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,064 MX$38.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Maharagama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,003 MX$18.7K
$240 LKR 79.7K
318.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
0
-

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

Last update for Mexico City: November 1, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$771
Maharagama
–
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$324
Maharagama
–
Eating Out
Mexico City
$201
Maharagama
–
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$158
Maharagama
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$125
Maharagama
–
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Maharagama
–
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Maharagama
–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Mexico City are about 4.2 times higher, 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 $52 in Mexico City versus $20 in Maharagama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $19 – making Maharagama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇱🇰 Maharagama
🕒 Local time
02:58 2:58 AM
14:28 2:28 PM
11 h 30 min ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
196,400
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.91 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 374 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Maharagama 17,090 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Maharagama

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Maharagama cheaper than Mexico City?
Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 1180%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,510 per month in Mexico City and $196 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Mexico City and in Maharagama?
Groceries cost about 1636% more in Mexico City, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Mexico City or in Maharagama?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Mexico City and $20 in Maharagama. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Mexico City or in Maharagama?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Mexico City at $1,674. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maharagama costs $131 versus $1,674 in Mexico City. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Maharagama. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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