Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Melbourne, AR Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Melbourne, AR

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,605 in Melbourne, AR.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $3,830 in Melbourne, AR.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $5,055 in Melbourne, AR.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 44% less than in Melbourne, AR, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Melbourne, AR 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$22.12 $22.12

-40.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$84.3 $84.3

-36.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$11.16 $11.16

-15.59%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$5.57 $5.57

-36.27%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$2.71 $2.71

-40.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$2.19 $2.19

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$5.83 $5.83

-46.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$6.63 $6.63

-30.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.11 $1.11

53.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$3.10 $3.10

-12.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$6.66 $6.66

-71.32%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$4.88 $4.88

-47.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$18.19 $18.19

-44.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$16.38 $16.38

-50.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$16.29 $16.29

-28.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$4.57 $4.57

-35.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.35 $1.35

34.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$3.48 $3.48

-42.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$2.68 $2.68

-24.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$2.40 $2.40

-11.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$2.63 $2.63

-13.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$1.88 $1.88

-25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$2.76 $2.76

-59.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$9.86 $9.86

-56.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$19.27 $19.27

-19.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$1.87 $1.87

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$3.16 $3.16

13.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$2.04 $2.04

-81.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$3.41 $3.41

-59.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$1.39 $1.39

-79.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$29.72 $29.72

-81.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.76 $0.76

71.05%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$31.3K $31.3K

-40.26%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$33.4K $33.4K

-30.85%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$196 $196

-79.14%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$47.58 $47.58

-43.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$66.7 $66.7

-55.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$42.55 $42.55

22.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$14.80 $14.80

-57.43%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$1,282 $1,282

-65.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$23.3K $23.3K

-55.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$46.98 $46.98

20.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$38.50 $38.50

15.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$67.9 $67.9

51.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$68.7 $68.7

53.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$1,611 $1,611

-36.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$1,340 $1,340

-52.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$2,669 $2,669

-19.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$2,203 $2,203

-43.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$2,288 $2,288

70.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$2,412 $2,412

-14.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.56

72.87%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Melbourne, AR: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $1,611 in Melbourne, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $84.0 in Melbourne, AR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $439 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 Melbourne, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 78% lower than in Melbourne, AR. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,201 in Mexico City and $3,908 in Melbourne, AR to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $1,611 in Melbourne, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $1,282 in Melbourne, AR. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $84.0 in Melbourne, AR. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,605 in Melbourne, AR, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Melbourne, AR. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Melbourne, AR are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Melbourne, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.