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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,287 in Montego Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,759 in Montego Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $2,231 in Montego Bay.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 15% more expensive than Montego Bay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Montego Bay is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$7.69 JMD 1,208

68.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$50.9 JMD 7,988

4.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$7.30 JMD 1,147

33.15%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$4.38 JMD 688

-14.38%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$1.37 JMD 216

14.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.71 JMD 112

59.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.48 JMD 389

28.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$3.08 JMD 484

51.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.52 JMD 396

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$2.68 JMD 421

1.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.57 JMD 246

19.75%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$3.60 JMD 565

-30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$11.03 JMD 1,732

-8.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.43 JMD 1,010

28.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$7.77 JMD 1,220

53.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$3.37 JMD 529

-15.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$3.09 JMD 486

-43.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.84 JMD 445

-26.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.76 JMD 277

11.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$2.12 JMD 333

1.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.13 JMD 177

92.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.91 JMD 300

-27.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.93 JMD 146

20.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$8.61 JMD 1,352

-51.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$11.46 JMD 1,800

24.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.11 JMD 331

-16.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$3.06 JMD 481

20.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.93 JMD 146

-58.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.93 JMD 146

49.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$3.22 JMD 505

-90.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$6.37 JMD 1,001

-14.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.24 JMD 195

8.87%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$42.3K JMD 6.6M

-55.35%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

-32.11%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$163 JMD 25.6K

-74.92%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$21.26 JMD 3,339

29.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$47.70 JMD 7,491

-36.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$37.35 JMD 5,866

43.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$7.54 JMD 1,185

-16.84%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$62.6 JMD 9,827

597.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$1,882 JMD 295.6K

456.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$26.12 JMD 4,102

117.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$20.10 JMD 3,157

122.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$66.2 JMD 10.4K

55.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

42.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$257 JMD 40.3K

289.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$461 JMD 72.4K

34.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$669 JMD 105.0K

219.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$431 JMD 67.7K

186.34%

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

$562 JMD 88.3K

89.83%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $257 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $51.0 in Montego Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 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 15% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $1,287 including rent). Montego Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 90% 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 $257 in Montego Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $62.6 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 $51.0 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Montego Bay versus $1,484 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 15% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.