Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and New Taipei City Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and New Taipei City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,239 in New Taipei City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $2,038 in New Taipei City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,837 in New Taipei City.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 34% more expensive than in New Taipei City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, New Taipei City is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$4.70 NT$150

153.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$31.51 NT$1,003

63.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$5.23 NT$167

118.16%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.24 NT$71.3

78.12%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.88 NT$28.06

88.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.56 NT$17.95

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$1.67 NT$53.3

107.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$2.45 NT$78.1

140.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$3.08 NT$98.2

-38.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.82 NT$57.8

78.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$2.20 NT$70.0

-1.82%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.19 NT$69.6

32.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$25.19 NT$802

-48.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$10.60 NT$338

-5.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$18.94 NT$603

-16.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$4.13 NT$131

-20.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$2.44 NT$77.8

-17.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.81 NT$89.7

-21.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$3.99 NT$127

-40.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$4.02 NT$128

-49.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$2.07 NT$66.1

-8.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.64 NT$52.1

-1.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$1.04 NT$33.18

34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$4.46 NT$142

22.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$8.89 NT$283

98.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.49 NT$47.31

38.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$2.01 NT$64.0

132.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.82 NT$26.20

-58.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$37.92 NT$1,208

-45.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$2.82 NT$89.9

-25.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.99 NT$31.63

-43.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$9.69 NT$309

-40.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.01 NT$32.02

59.41%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$33.9K NT$1.1M

-32.68%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$24.4K NT$776.1K

9.78%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$112 NT$3,560

-41.68%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$16.69 NT$532

80.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$22.96 NT$731

61.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$39.29 NT$1,251

52.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$7.78 NT$248

241.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$12.64 NT$402

-44.30%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$650 NT$20.7K

-28.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$21.2K NT$676.5K

-37.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$35.16 NT$1,120

115.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$31.25 NT$995

79.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$93.8 NT$2,987

19.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$99.4 NT$3,164

21.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$646 NT$20.6K

70.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$340 NT$10.8K

111.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$1,396 NT$44.5K

81.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$926 NT$29.5K

39.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$12.4K NT$394.5K

-67.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$7,248 NT$230.9K

-71.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$1,391 NT$44.3K

-25.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.81

302.14%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for New Taipei City: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $646 in New Taipei City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Taipei City pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $32.00 in New Taipei City. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $383, 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 New Taipei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and New Taipei City differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,239 including rent). New Taipei City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 34% lower in New Taipei City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $646 in New Taipei City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in New Taipei City runs roughly 82% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $650 in New Taipei City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,239 in New Taipei City versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in New Taipei City but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes New Taipei City 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and New Taipei City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find New Taipei City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.