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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $472 in Maharagama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $789 in Maharagama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,106 in Maharagama, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 214% more than Maharagama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Maharagama is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.95 LKR 622

-16.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.51 LKR 163

431.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.76 LKR 243

147.37%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.11 LKR 672

18.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$16.26 LKR 5,186

-38.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.78 LKR 1,842

43.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$10.74 LKR 3,425

11.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$11.49 LKR 3,665

-75.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.23 LKR 392

42.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$10.00 LKR 3,188

-79.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.85 LKR 591

6.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.16 LKR 368

86.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.16 LKR 371

87.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.63 LKR 519

-14.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.61 LKR 193

83.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$9.78 LKR 3,118

-57.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.99 LKR 635

-11.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$3.24 LKR 1,033

13.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$3.30 LKR 1,051

465.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.32 LKR 101

334.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.31 LKR 99.5

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.37 LKR 438

-1.46%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

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

$40.82 MX$714

$53.7 LKR 17.1K

-23.97%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$3.44 LKR 1,097

699.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$12.68 LKR 4,044

139.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$13.44 LKR 4,288

297.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$5.09 LKR 1,622

23.18%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$68.0 LKR 21.7K

541.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$510 LKR 162.7K

1951.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$24.77 LKR 7,899

129.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$13.55 LKR 4,322

230.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$54.8 LKR 17.5K

87.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$58.3 LKR 18.6K

85.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$165 LKR 52.5K

1196.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$116 LKR 36.9K

966.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-33.29%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: April 26, 2026

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 214%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $709 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 465% less in Maharagama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Mexico City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $472, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maharagama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Maharagama. 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.