Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Negril Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Negril

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,481 in Mexico City versus $870 in Negril.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,352 in Mexico City versus $1,358 in Negril.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,222 in Mexico City versus $1,846 in Negril.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 70% more expensive than in Negril, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Negril is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$229

$7.59 JMD 1,195

73.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$934

$49.34 JMD 7,770

8.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$167

$9.00 JMD 1,418

6.11%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$64.9

$1.97 JMD 310

88.83%

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

$1.57 MX$27.33

$1.32 JMD 208

18.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.16

$0.76 JMD 119

52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.5

$2.46 JMD 388

29.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.8

$3.06 JMD 482

51.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.74

$4.40 JMD 693

-61.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.63

$3.47 JMD 546

-24.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.93

$1.57 JMD 247

20.38%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.26

$3.56 JMD 560

-26.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$173

$11.00 JMD 1,732

-9.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$143

$6.26 JMD 985

31.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$205

$7.81 JMD 1,229

50.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.2

$6.07 JMD 956

-50.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.38

$3.14 JMD 495

-42.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.16

$4.26 JMD 671

-51.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.30

$2.91 JMD 458

-32.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.13

$2.01 JMD 317

2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.92

$2.00 JMD 315

8.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.46

$3.07 JMD 483

-54.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.74

$1.44 JMD 227

-25.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$71.8

$8.57 JMD 1,350

-51.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$304

$11.42 JMD 1,799

52.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.22

$2.81 JMD 443

-40.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.6

$3.08 JMD 485

18.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$1.09 JMD 171

22.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.28

$3.13 JMD 493

-90.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$96.1

$6.22 JMD 979

-11.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$1.27 JMD 200

3.15%

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

$19.2K MX$334.2K

$43.0K JMD 6.8M

-55.42%

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

$23.7K MX$414.1K

$33.9K JMD 5.3M

-29.95%

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

$41.14 MX$717

$165 JMD 26.0K

-75.08%

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

$27.74 MX$484

$22.25 JMD 3,505

24.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$525

$51.0 JMD 8,024

-40.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$937

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$13.06 JMD 2,057

-50.31%

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

$437 MX$7,614

$230 JMD 36.2K

89.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.3K

$2,500 JMD 393.7K

318.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$25.79 JMD 4,061

126.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$800

$25.48 JMD 4,013

79.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,769

$72.2 JMD 11.4K

40.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,858

$74.8 JMD 11.8K

42.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.5K

$1,003 JMD 158.0K

0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.15

23.93%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Last update for Negril: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,005 in Mexico City and $1,003 in Negril. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $49.00 in Negril. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $350, with Mexico City 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 Negril: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Negril differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,481 vs $870 including rent). Negril is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,222 in Mexico City and $1,305 in Negril to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,005 in Mexico City versus $1,003 in Negril. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $437 in Mexico City versus $230 in Negril. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Negril – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $870 in Negril versus $1,481 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Negril but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Negril 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 Negril gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.