Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Quebec City Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Quebec City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,992 in Quebec City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $2,880 in Quebec City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $3,769 in Quebec City.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 27% less than in Quebec City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Quebec City 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$16.88 CA$23.67

-22.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$940

$65.8 CA$92.2

-18.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$11.01 CA$15.44

-12.08%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.4

$3.78 CA$5.30

-1.06%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$2.05 CA$2.87

-20.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.31

$1.45 CA$2.04

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.4

$6.05 CA$8.49

-46.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.9

$6.17 CA$8.65

-23.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.80

$2.12 CA$2.97

-22.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.15

$3.25 CA$4.56

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.77

$4.48 CA$6.28

-58.26%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.72

$3.06 CA$4.29

-18.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$12.95 CA$18.16

-21.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$10.90 CA$15.28

-24.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$14.15 CA$19.84

-16.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

$3.94 CA$5.53

-23.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

$1.68 CA$2.36

7.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.96

$4.23 CA$5.93

-52.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.89

$4.10 CA$5.75

-51.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$1.88 CA$2.64

10.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

$2.43 CA$3.41

-6.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.47

$2.69 CA$3.77

-45.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.82

$1.59 CA$2.24

-32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.0

$12.92 CA$18.12

-66.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$297

$11.46 CA$16.07

48.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.31

$3.18 CA$4.46

-45.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.5

$3.94 CA$5.53

-9.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.77

$2.68 CA$3.76

-85.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

$68.4 CA$95.9

-72.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$3.79 CA$5.31

-64.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

$2.27 CA$3.18

-87.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

$30.73 CA$43.08

-82.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$1.20 CA$1.69

11.67%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

$24.8K CA$34.8K

-21.77%

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

$20.0K CA$28.0K

19.21%

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

$40.69 MX$712

$87.5 CA$123

-53.49%

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

$26.87 MX$470

$38.52 CA$54.0

-30.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$534

$44.83 CA$62.8

-31.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

$42.10 CA$59.0

25.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

$14.71 CA$20.62

81.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$11.00 CA$15.42

-40.82%

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

$428 MX$7,485

$821 CA$1,151

-47.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

$6,164 CA$8,641

70.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,001

$60.5 CA$84.8

-5.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$796

$53.9 CA$75.6

-15.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,819

$113 CA$158

-7.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,885

$127 CA$178

-14.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$900 CA$1,261

11.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$823 CA$1,154

-24.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.9K

$1,496 CA$2,098

40.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$1,193 CA$1,673

2.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

$5,673 CA$7,954

-31.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

$2,809 CA$3,938

-27.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$2,803 CA$3,929

-62.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.87

65.07%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Quebec City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $900 in Quebec City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quebec City pays 170% 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 $66.0 in Quebec City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $374 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 Quebec City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Quebec City differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,992 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 170% lower in Quebec 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $900 in Quebec City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 266% less than in Quebec City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $821 in Quebec City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,992 in Quebec City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Quebec City. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Quebec City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.