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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,028 in Nuku'alofa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,877 in Nuku'alofa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,725 in Nuku'alofa.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 43% more expensive than Nuku'alofa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Nuku'alofa is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$8.40 TOP 19.61

56.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$62.9 TOP 147

-14.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$10.21 TOP 23.83

-7.74%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.98 TOP 6.95

19.13%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$2.90 TOP 6.78

-44.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$2.40 TOP 5.60

-53.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$3.40 TOP 7.95

-8.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$5.10 TOP 11.91

-9.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.53 TOP 3.57

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.03 TOP 2.40

164.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.10 TOP 4.91

-9.05%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$4.95 TOP 11.56

-48.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$8.86 TOP 20.67

13.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.80 TOP 13.53

39.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.66 TOP 17.89

51.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.73 TOP 6.37

8.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$2.71 TOP 6.33

-33.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$2.88 TOP 6.73

-30.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$3.71 TOP 8.67

-45.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$3.11 TOP 7.26

-31.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.58 TOP 6.02

-12.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$2.20 TOP 5.13

-36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.36 TOP 3.16

-16.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$10.24 TOP 23.90

-58.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$17.27 TOP 40.31

-9.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$3.23 TOP 7.53

-45.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$3.25 TOP 7.59

10.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$2.12 TOP 4.95

-82.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$41.34 TOP 96.5

-53.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.10 TOP 4.90

-34.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$40.89 TOP 95.5

-86.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.42 TOP 3.32

-8.45%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$5,701 TOP 13.3K

227.80%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$8,202 TOP 19.1K

182.02%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$189 TOP 441

-78.36%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$22.48 TOP 52.5

19.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$123 TOP 288

-75.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$31.73 TOP 74.1

63.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$41.42 TOP 96.7

-35.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$41.19 TOP 96.2

-84.71%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$155 TOP 362

181.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$253 TOP 590

4019.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$14.44 TOP 33.71

292.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$17.48 TOP 40.80

153.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$20.87 TOP 48.71

393.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$28.88 TOP 67.4

265.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$614 TOP 1,434

66.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$830 TOP 1,939

157.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$561 TOP 1,309

121.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$416 TOP 971

838.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$248 TOP 578

733.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$674 TOP 1,573

65.44%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nuku'alofa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $614 in Nuku'alofa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 65% 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 for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $289 per month, with Mexico City 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 Nuku'alofa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Nuku'alofa differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $1,028 including rent). Nuku'alofa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 65% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $614 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 116% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 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 $1,467 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 43% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.