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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,012 in Nuku'alofa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,868 in Nuku'alofa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,725 in Nuku'alofa.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 66% more expensive than in Nuku'alofa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Nuku'alofa is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$8.22 TOP 19.44

47.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$61.9 TOP 146

-12.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$10.25 TOP 24.24

8.20%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.83 TOP 6.70

44.88%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$2.88 TOP 6.81

-41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$2.42 TOP 5.72

-42.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$3.28 TOP 7.75

1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$5.09 TOP 12.04

15.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.59 TOP 3.76

16.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.05 TOP 2.49

201.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$2.12 TOP 5.00

-2.36%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$5.12 TOP 12.10

-42.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$9.16 TOP 21.66

37.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.03 TOP 14.27

67.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$7.85 TOP 18.55

104.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.79 TOP 6.61

21.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$2.71 TOP 6.42

-23.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.96 TOP 6.99

-28.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$3.79 TOP 8.95

-36.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$3.28 TOP 7.74

-35.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$2.62 TOP 6.18

-23.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$2.25 TOP 5.32

-31.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$1.41 TOP 3.32

-3.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$10.30 TOP 24.34

-43.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$16.74 TOP 39.58

5.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$3.15 TOP 7.45

-34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$3.39 TOP 8.02

35.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$2.07 TOP 4.88

-82.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$41.04 TOP 97.0

-48.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$2.12 TOP 5.02

-3.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$2.03 TOP 4.80

-71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$42.09 TOP 99.5

-85.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.47 TOP 3.46

5.44%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$5,752 TOP 13.6K

297.69%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$8,336 TOP 19.7K

226.71%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$186 TOP 439

-63.70%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$22.42 TOP 53.0

36.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$123 TOP 292

-69.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$31.36 TOP 74.2

95.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$42.00 TOP 99.3

-35.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$41.91 TOP 99.1

-83.04%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$156 TOP 368

193.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$248 TOP 587

5411.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$14.65 TOP 34.63

406.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$17.94 TOP 42.42

217.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$20.89 TOP 49.38

452.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$28.90 TOP 68.3

320.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$611 TOP 1,445

87.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$827 TOP 1,956

211.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$555 TOP 1,313

133.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$417 TOP 985

861.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$254 TOP 599

739.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$685 TOP 1,620

57.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Nuku'alofa: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $611 in Nuku'alofa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 58% 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 $62.0 in Nuku'alofa. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $295, 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 66% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $1,012 including rent). Nuku'alofa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 58% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $611 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 94% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $156 in Nuku'alofa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,012 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,677 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 66% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.