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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $2,081 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $3,224 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $4,368 in Malmo, rent included.

Mexico City is about 30% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Malmo sit above the global median – Mexico City by 9%, Malmo by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$13.74 SEK 133

-4.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$83.5 SEK 807

-35.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$12.74 SEK 123

-24.02%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$5.15 SEK 49.73

-27.38%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$2.68 SEK 25.92

-39.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$2.10 SEK 20.29

-44.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$7.81 SEK 75.5

-58.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$8.01 SEK 77.4

-40.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.73 SEK 16.76

-4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$3.08 SEK 29.73

-10.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$3.48 SEK 33.67

-46.26%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$4.53 SEK 43.80

-44.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$12.41 SEK 120

-17.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$13.01 SEK 126

-36.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$26.83 SEK 259

-55.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$3.40 SEK 32.84

-11.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$2.94 SEK 28.43

-38.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$3.29 SEK 31.83

-39.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$4.83 SEK 46.69

-58.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.87 SEK 18.10

11.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.94 SEK 18.76

17.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$2.55 SEK 24.68

-42.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.34 SEK 13.00

-19.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$7.88 SEK 76.2

-44.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$11.67 SEK 113

45.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$2.40 SEK 23.25

-27.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.73 SEK 26.39

31.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$3.46 SEK 33.40

-88.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$71.0 SEK 686

-73.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$6.76 SEK 65.3

-80.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$2.64 SEK 25.49

-89.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$57.1 SEK 552

-90.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.90 SEK 18.41

-29.47%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$33.0K SEK 318.6K

-41.11%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$33.9K SEK 328.1K

-29.79%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$155 SEK 1,496

-73.71%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$29.60 SEK 286

-9.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$39.55 SEK 382

-22.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$39.29 SEK 380

34.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$23.47 SEK 227

13.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$17.81 SEK 172

-63.45%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$157 SEK 1,520

172.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$4,884 SEK 47.2K

114.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$105 SEK 1,013

-45.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$45.70 SEK 442

-0.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$124 SEK 1,199

-16.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$166 SEK 1,607

-35.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$916 SEK 8,856

9.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$791 SEK 7,642

-21.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$1,702 SEK 16.4K

23.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$1,378 SEK 13.3K

-11.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$4,179 SEK 40.4K

-7.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$3,318 SEK 32.1K

-38.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$3,148 SEK 30.4K

-67.03%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Malmo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $916 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 203% 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 $83.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $412 – 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 43% 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $3,121 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 $428 per month in Mexico City and $157 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 $1,456, than in Malmo at $2,081. 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 $1,456 versus $2,081 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.