Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ocho Rios Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ocho Rios

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $904 in Ocho Rios.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,927 in Ocho Rios.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,950 in Ocho Rios.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 61% more expensive than in Ocho Rios, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Ocho Rios is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$7.61 JMD 1,202

71.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$62.1 JMD 9,805

-13.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$6.24 JMD 984

55.13%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.79 JMD 440

34.05%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.37 JMD 217

18.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.74 JMD 117

56.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.22 JMD 350

45.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$3.07 JMD 485

54.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$4.08 JMD 644

-59.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$2.80 JMD 441

-1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.56 JMD 245

19.87%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$3.53 JMD 557

-29.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.64 JMD 1,047

53.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$6.47 JMD 1,021

27.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$7.54 JMD 1,190

56.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$6.08 JMD 959

-50.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$3.14 JMD 496

-42.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$4.34 JMD 685

-53.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$2.35 JMD 370

-14.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$2.04 JMD 322

1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.93 JMD 304

17.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$2.10 JMD 331

-30.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$1.12 JMD 177

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$8.97 JMD 1,416

-51.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$9.70 JMD 1,530

75.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$2.42 JMD 382

-28.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.92 JMD 461

22.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.60 JMD 252

-75.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.66 JMD 104

101.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.93 JMD 147

-69.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$6.23 JMD 982

-15.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.24 JMD 196

8.06%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$42.5K JMD 6.7M

-54.36%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$33.9K JMD 5.3M

-29.62%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$107 JMD 16.8K

-61.85%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$21.93 JMD 3,460

22.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$39.44 JMD 6,223

-22.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$15.78 JMD 2,490

234.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$5.71 JMD 901

366.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$11.31 JMD 1,784

-42.44%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$228 JMD 35.9K

87.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$2,464 JMD 388.9K

326.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$15.78 JMD 2,490

262.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$12.51 JMD 1,974

263.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$49.26 JMD 7,773

111.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$62.4 JMD 9,843

72.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$372 JMD 58.7K

169.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$187 JMD 29.6K

232.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$1,194 JMD 188.4K

76.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$1,184 JMD 186.7K

2.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

126.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ocho Rios: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $372 in Ocho Rios. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $62.0 in Ocho Rios for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $311 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 Ocho Rios: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Ocho Rios differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $904 including rent). Ocho Rios is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,185 in Mexico City and $1,355 in Ocho Rios 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $372 in Ocho Rios. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $228 in Ocho Rios. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ocho Rios – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $904 in Ocho Rios versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ocho Rios but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ocho Rios 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 Ocho Rios gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.