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: $1,668 in Mexico City versus $1,178 in Montego Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $2,166 in Montego Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Mexico City versus $3,154 in Montego Bay.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 42% more expensive than in Montego Bay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 24% above, Montego Bay is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$213

$11.06 JMD 1,741

8.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$934

$77.3 JMD 12.2K

-31.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$207

$8.70 JMD 1,370

34.37%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$68.4

$5.47 JMD 861

-29.25%

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

$1.75 MX$30.94

$0.94 JMD 148

86.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$24.65

$0.72 JMD 113

93.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$59.4

$2.16 JMD 340

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$102

$3.14 JMD 494

83.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$31.92

$3.37 JMD 530

-46.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$54.5

$2.76 JMD 435

11.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.65

$1.44 JMD 226

47.92%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$52.6

$3.61 JMD 568

-17.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$221

$11.57 JMD 1,821

8.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$181

$6.18 JMD 973

65.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$281

$8.97 JMD 1,412

77.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$59.8

$4.26 JMD 670

-20.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.24

$2.48 JMD 391

-14.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.59

$7.34 JMD 1,155

-70.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$43.61

$2.50 JMD 394

-1.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.03

$2.48 JMD 391

-17.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.59

$2.65 JMD 418

-24.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.15

$2.49 JMD 391

-36.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.50

$0.81 JMD 127

64.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$97.0

$9.35 JMD 1,472

-41.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$310

$11.57 JMD 1,820

51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$35.61

$2.93 JMD 461

-31.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.8

$3.94 JMD 620

20.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.94

$0.98 JMD 155

-65.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.28

$0.99 JMD 156

107.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.75

$3.12 JMD 492

-80.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$101

$6.49 JMD 1,021

-12.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.09

$1.39 JMD 218

14.39%

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

$22.9K MX$404.6K

$44.2K JMD 7.0M

-48.21%

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

$26.4K MX$466.2K

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

-19.79%

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

$64.2 MX$1,135

$173 JMD 27.3K

-62.94%

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

$29.42 MX$520

$22.53 JMD 3,546

30.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$651

$47.60 JMD 7,492

-22.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,038

$44.00 JMD 6,924

33.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$123

$8.79 JMD 1,383

-20.93%

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

$463 MX$8,180

$361 JMD 56.8K

28.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$236.2K

$8,185 JMD 1.3M

63.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,333

$23.48 JMD 3,695

221.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$958

$31.27 JMD 4,922

73.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,965

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

56.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,160

$102 JMD 16.1K

19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.0K

$312 JMD 49.1K

263.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.3K

$221 JMD 34.8K

216.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.2K

$937 JMD 147.5K

160.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.0K

$950 JMD 149.5K

37.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$69.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

$599 JMD 94.3K

75.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

9.45

19.58%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: September 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Mexico City and $312 in Montego Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 76% 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 $77.0 in Montego Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $343 vs $330, with Montego Bay cheaper for home cooking.

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 42% in total monthly costs ($1,668 vs $1,178 including rent). Montego Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 76% 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: $1,133 in Mexico City versus $312 in Montego Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $463 in Mexico City versus $361 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 $77.0 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,178 in Montego Bay versus $1,668 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 42% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.