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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,295 in Montego Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,753 in Montego Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,210 in Montego Bay.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 14% more expensive than in Montego Bay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Montego Bay is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$7.54 JMD 1,188

74.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$50.2 JMD 7,898

6.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.72 JMD 1,215

20.85%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$4.31 JMD 678

-14.15%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.32 JMD 209

21.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.76 JMD 120

47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.46 JMD 388

27.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$3.07 JMD 484

57.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$2.47 JMD 390

-33.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$2.82 JMD 444

-3.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.60 JMD 252

19.37%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$3.46 JMD 544

-25.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$11.12 JMD 1,752

-11.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$6.46 JMD 1,017

30.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$7.69 JMD 1,211

55.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.35 JMD 528

-11.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$3.14 JMD 495

-44.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.74 JMD 431

-25.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.79 JMD 281

15.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$2.04 JMD 321

5.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.13 JMD 177

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.84 JMD 290

-24.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.93 JMD 147

20.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$8.80 JMD 1,386

-52.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$11.16 JMD 1,758

56.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.12 JMD 334

-19.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$3.15 JMD 496

15.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.92 JMD 145

-61.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.96 JMD 152

43.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$3.25 JMD 512

-91.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$6.13 JMD 966

-13.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.23 JMD 194

10.57%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

-54.92%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

-28.44%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$164 JMD 25.8K

-75.24%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$21.61 JMD 3,404

26.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$48.06 JMD 7,569

-36.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$37.26 JMD 5,869

40.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$7.57 JMD 1,192

-18.23%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$62.7 JMD 9,870

578.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$1,854 JMD 292.0K

478.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$26.57 JMD 4,185

119.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$19.57 JMD 3,083

127.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$66.5 JMD 10.5K

55.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

42.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$265 JMD 41.7K

283.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$448 JMD 70.6K

38.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$662 JMD 104.3K

220.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$447 JMD 70.3K

173.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$552 JMD 87.0K

90.44%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $265 in Montego Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 90% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $50.0 in Montego Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 14% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,295 including rent). Montego Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 90% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $265 in Montego Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $62.7 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,295 in Montego Bay versus $1,472 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 14% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.