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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $2,047 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $3,170 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $4,292 in Malmo, rent included.

Mexico City is about 28% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Malmo sit above the global median – Mexico City by 10%, Malmo by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$13.48 SEK 127

-2.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$85.6 SEK 804

-37.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$12.67 SEK 119

-25.65%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$5.05 SEK 47.48

-29.70%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$2.69 SEK 25.24

-39.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$2.15 SEK 20.21

-48.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$8.00 SEK 75.2

-61.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$8.20 SEK 77.1

-43.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.67 SEK 15.72

1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$3.11 SEK 29.19

-12.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$3.61 SEK 33.93

-47.09%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$4.42 SEK 41.49

-42.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$12.05 SEK 113

-16.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$12.78 SEK 120

-36.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$27.50 SEK 258

-57.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$3.27 SEK 30.69

-9.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$2.78 SEK 26.12

-34.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$3.24 SEK 30.45

-37.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$4.79 SEK 44.97

-57.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$1.83 SEK 17.19

15.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$1.95 SEK 18.34

16.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$2.57 SEK 24.14

-45.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$1.34 SEK 12.58

-15.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$8.13 SEK 76.4

-47.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$12.10 SEK 114

28.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$2.53 SEK 23.75

-30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$2.66 SEK 24.96

35.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$3.36 SEK 31.58

-88.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$69.3 SEK 651

-72.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$6.44 SEK 60.5

-78.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$2.64 SEK 24.80

-89.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$56.2 SEK 528

-90.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.92 SEK 18.04

-32.29%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$33.1K SEK 310.7K

-43.50%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$33.8K SEK 317.4K

-31.56%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$154 SEK 1,442

-73.39%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$30.36 SEK 285

-11.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$40.38 SEK 379

-25.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$38.30 SEK 360

35.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$23.78 SEK 223

12.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$17.81 SEK 167

-64.63%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$162 SEK 1,518

169.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$4,876 SEK 45.8K

113.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$105 SEK 983

-45.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$45.70 SEK 429

-2.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$124 SEK 1,166

-17.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$165 SEK 1,552

-36.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$932 SEK 8,751

9.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$773 SEK 7,264

-18.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$1,721 SEK 16.2K

24.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$1,343 SEK 12.6K

-7.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$4,311 SEK 40.5K

-9.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$3,360 SEK 31.6K

-38.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$3,353 SEK 31.5K

-66.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.86

133.33%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Malmo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $932 in Malmo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 201% higher in Malmo, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $86.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $410 – making Mexico City 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 Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 40% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $3,071 in Malmo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $162 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Malmo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Malmo at $2,047. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,467 versus $2,047 in Malmo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Malmo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.