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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,383 in Monrovia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $2,463 in Monrovia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $3,543 in Monrovia.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 5% more expensive than Monrovia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 8% above, Monrovia 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$7.30 LRD 1,324

77.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$152 LRD 27.6K

-65.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$11.07 LRD 2,007

-14.81%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.32 LRD 601

7.53%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.97 LRD 357

-18.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$2.63 LRD 477

-56.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.69 LRD 487

17.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.02 LRD 547

60.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.14 LRD 389

-20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.83 LRD 331

44.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$5.27 LRD 955

-63.95%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.57 LRD 647

-28.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$11.86 LRD 2,151

-15.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$11.94 LRD 2,165

-30.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$35.73 LRD 6,480

-67.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.66 LRD 301

82.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$8.49 LRD 1,541

-79.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$10.23 LRD 1,856

-79.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$11.16 LRD 2,023

-81.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.23 LRD 405

-7.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$10.60 LRD 1,922

-79.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$4.58 LRD 830

-69.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.97 LRD 357

-43.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.90 LRD 889

-12.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$6.82 LRD 1,236

125.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.43 LRD 441

-31.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.33 LRD 604

10.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$2.92 LRD 530

-86.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$19.78 LRD 3,586

-3.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.73 LRD 495

-49.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.25 LRD 227

-77.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$17.33 LRD 3,143

-68.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.26 LRD 229

1.59%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$12.5K LRD 2.3M

51.69%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$14.9K LRD 2.7M

57.63%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$270 LRD 49.0K

-84.83%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$22.13 LRD 4,014

21.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$95.0 LRD 17.2K

-68.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$75.5 LRD 13.7K

-30.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$8.23 LRD 1,492

218.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$9.95 LRD 1,805

-37.89%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$131 LRD 23.8K

225.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$895 LRD 162.3K

1095.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$18.05 LRD 3,274

214.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$34.15 LRD 6,192

31.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$56.9 LRD 10.3K

83.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$67.9 LRD 12.3K

56.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$676 LRD 122.7K

47.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$96.6 LRD 17.5K

543.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,858 LRD 336.9K

14.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$266 LRD 48.2K

371.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$713 LRD 129.3K

55.34%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Monrovia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $676 in Monrovia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 55% 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 $152 in Monrovia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $536 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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,383 including rent). Monrovia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 55% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $676 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 4% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $131 in Monrovia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,383 in Monrovia versus $1,447 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 5% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.