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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,392 in Monrovia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $2,467 in Monrovia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $3,542 in Monrovia.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 7% more expensive than Monrovia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Monrovia 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$7.48 LRD 1,373

73.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$149 LRD 27.3K

-64.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$10.81 LRD 1,984

-10.08%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.34 LRD 614

12.28%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$2.05 LRD 376

-23.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$2.71 LRD 497

-58.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.77 LRD 509

14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.96 LRD 544

57.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.17 LRD 397

-25.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.76 LRD 323

53.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$5.09 LRD 933

-63.06%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$3.67 LRD 673

-31.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$11.83 LRD 2,171

-14.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$11.95 LRD 2,193

-30.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$36.17 LRD 6,638

-66.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.66 LRD 305

72.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$8.24 LRD 1,512

-78.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$10.24 LRD 1,879

-79.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$10.92 LRD 2,005

-81.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$2.24 LRD 412

-3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$10.58 LRD 1,941

-79.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$4.58 LRD 841

-69.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.97 LRD 362

-43.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$5.04 LRD 925

-16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$7.13 LRD 1,309

99.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.56 LRD 469

-31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$3.33 LRD 612

10.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$2.92 LRD 535

-86.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$19.95 LRD 3,661

-6.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$2.70 LRD 495

-48.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.26 LRD 231

-76.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$17.45 LRD 3,203

-68.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.21 LRD 222

11.57%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$12.4K LRD 2.3M

51.95%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$14.8K LRD 2.7M

56.64%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$273 LRD 50.1K

-85.05%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$22.91 LRD 4,205

20.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$92.4 LRD 17.0K

-67.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$76.7 LRD 14.1K

-30.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$8.15 LRD 1,496

222.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$9.89 LRD 1,814

-36.60%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$128 LRD 23.5K

240.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$910 LRD 167.0K

1050.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$18.68 LRD 3,429

203.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$33.89 LRD 6,220

32.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$55.7 LRD 10.2K

84.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$69.1 LRD 12.7K

56.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$673 LRD 123.5K

48.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$95.8 LRD 17.6K

547.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$1,808 LRD 331.7K

18.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$267 LRD 49.0K

362.22%

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

$695 LRD 127.5K

53.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

126.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Monrovia: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $673 in Monrovia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 54% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $149 in Monrovia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $535 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 Monrovia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Monrovia differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $1,392 including rent). Monrovia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 54% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $673 in Monrovia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Monrovia runs roughly 7% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $128 in Monrovia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,392 in Monrovia versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Monrovia but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Monrovia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Monrovia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.