Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Montego Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Montego Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,314 in Montego Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,787 in Montego Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,261 in Montego Bay.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 10% more expensive than Montego Bay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Montego Bay is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$7.54 JMD 1,186

72.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$50.3 JMD 7,905

4.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.38 JMD 1,161

27.78%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$4.31 JMD 678

-17.17%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.33 JMD 209

21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.76 JMD 120

51.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.43 JMD 382

29.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.18 JMD 500

52.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.53 JMD 397

-32.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.76 JMD 434

-4.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.63 JMD 257

16.56%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.56 JMD 559

-28.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$10.94 JMD 1,721

-7.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$6.45 JMD 1,014

28.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.56 JMD 1,189

53.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.42 JMD 537

-11.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$3.14 JMD 494

-45.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.71 JMD 427

-24.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.75 JMD 275

17.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.03 JMD 319

1.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.13 JMD 178

92.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.91 JMD 301

-26.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.95 JMD 149

17.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$9.03 JMD 1,420

-52.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$11.28 JMD 1,773

36.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.11 JMD 332

-20.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.16 JMD 497

16.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.96 JMD 151

-60.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.91 JMD 143

51.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$3.21 JMD 505

-91.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$6.40 JMD 1,006

-15.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.29 JMD 203

-0.78%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$43.6K JMD 6.9M

-56.46%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-30.43%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$163 JMD 25.6K

-74.78%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$21.15 JMD 3,327

27.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$47.83 JMD 7,522

-37.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$37.84 JMD 5,952

38.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.55 JMD 1,188

-18.15%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$63.0 JMD 9,903

578.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$1,913 JMD 300.9K

459.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$25.80 JMD 4,057

120.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$19.75 JMD 3,106

126.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$66.6 JMD 10.5K

56.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

40.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$266 JMD 41.8K

274.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$448 JMD 70.4K

38.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$648 JMD 102.0K

227.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$442 JMD 69.6K

183.29%

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

$552 JMD 86.8K

100.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

41.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $266 in Montego Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 101% 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 $50.0 in Montego Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $284 per month, with Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Montego Bay differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,314 including rent). Montego Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 101% 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 $266 in Montego Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $63.0 in Montego Bay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Montego Bay – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,314 in Montego Bay versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Montego Bay but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.