Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Nuku'alofa Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Nuku'alofa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,028 in Nuku'alofa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,873 in Nuku'alofa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,719 in Nuku'alofa.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 42% more expensive than in Nuku'alofa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Nuku'alofa is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$8.08 TOP 19.04

61.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$62.9 TOP 148

-14.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$10.23 TOP 24.12

-5.38%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.97 TOP 7.01

25.93%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$2.81 TOP 6.62

-42.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$2.50 TOP 5.90

-53.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.30 TOP 7.79

-2.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$4.91 TOP 11.57

-3.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.58 TOP 3.73

4.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.05 TOP 2.48

161.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.02 TOP 4.77

-7.43%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$4.94 TOP 11.64

-49.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$8.96 TOP 21.12

13.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$5.98 TOP 14.10

37.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$7.84 TOP 18.47

50.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.75 TOP 6.48

9.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$2.83 TOP 6.67

-36.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.94 TOP 6.94

-31.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$3.64 TOP 8.58

-45.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$3.15 TOP 7.43

-33.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$2.68 TOP 6.31

-15.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$2.20 TOP 5.19

-33.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$1.34 TOP 3.16

-19.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$10.10 TOP 23.81

-56.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$16.85 TOP 39.73

0.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$3.09 TOP 7.28

-44.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$3.39 TOP 7.98

5.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$2.04 TOP 4.82

-80.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$40.93 TOP 96.5

-54.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$2.04 TOP 4.81

-34.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$41.76 TOP 98.5

-87.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.47 TOP 3.46

-8.84%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$5,767 TOP 13.6K

236.60%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$8,441 TOP 19.9K

182.35%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$189 TOP 445

-78.42%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$21.99 TOP 51.9

22.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$124 TOP 293

-75.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$31.31 TOP 73.8

68.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$42.25 TOP 99.6

-36.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$41.59 TOP 98.1

-84.35%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$155 TOP 365

176.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$245 TOP 577

4188.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$14.79 TOP 34.87

287.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$17.74 TOP 41.83

156.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$21.16 TOP 49.89

391.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$28.83 TOP 68.0

273.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$624 TOP 1,471

60.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$836 TOP 1,971

152.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$545 TOP 1,285

123.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$409 TOP 964

849.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$248 TOP 584

720.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$668 TOP 1,575

55.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Nuku'alofa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $624 in Nuku'alofa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 55% 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 $63.0 in Nuku'alofa. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $291, with Nuku'alofa 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 Nuku'alofa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Nuku'alofa differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,028 including rent). Nuku'alofa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 55% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $624 in Nuku'alofa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nuku'alofa runs roughly 119% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $155 in Nuku'alofa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,028 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nuku'alofa but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Nuku'alofa 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 Nuku'alofa 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 Nuku'alofa 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.