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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $2,440 in Quesnel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $3,444 in Quesnel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $4,447 in Quesnel.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 33% less than in Quesnel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 20% above, Quesnel 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$16.70 CA$23.02

-27.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$46.70 CA$64.4

11.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$11.19 CA$15.43

-2.59%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$4.32 CA$5.95

-6.25%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$2.56 CA$3.53

-32.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$2.12 CA$2.93

-34.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$4.78 CA$6.60

-27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$5.68 CA$7.84

2.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$2.35 CA$3.24

-21.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$2.45 CA$3.38

31.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$4.27 CA$5.89

-51.05%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$5.03 CA$6.94

-42.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$12.49 CA$17.23

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$16.98 CA$23.42

-40.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$17.22 CA$23.74

-7.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$4.19 CA$5.77

-21.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$1.32 CA$1.82

61.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$4.71 CA$6.49

-53.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$4.34 CA$5.98

-43.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$3.23 CA$4.46

-32.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$3.71 CA$5.11

-48.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$2.59 CA$3.57

-37.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$1.76 CA$2.43

-23.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$11.94 CA$16.47

-54.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$10.67 CA$14.72

64.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$2.66 CA$3.67

-22.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$3.45 CA$4.76

37.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$2.39 CA$3.30

-85.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$58.5 CA$80.6

-63.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$2.55 CA$3.52

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$2.21 CA$3.05

-73.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$43.38 CA$59.8

-86.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.20 CA$1.65

35.00%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$29.3K CA$40.5K

-22.25%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$23.4K CA$32.3K

13.78%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$179 CA$247

-63.55%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$39.51 CA$54.5

-24.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$73.4 CA$101

-50.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$41.02 CA$56.6

48.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$18.43 CA$25.42

44.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$7.71 CA$10.63

-11.15%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$783 CA$1,080

-42.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$14.3K CA$19.7K

-6.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$37.51 CA$51.7

99.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$46.80 CA$64.5

18.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$79.3 CA$109

43.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$106 CA$147

15.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$800 CA$1,104

41.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$1,155 CA$1,593

-38.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$1,999 CA$2,756

28.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$1,744 CA$2,405

-24.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$4,846 CA$6,683

-17.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$3,186 CA$4,393

-34.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$2,490 CA$3,433

-57.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.35

111.21%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Quesnel: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $800 in Quesnel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quesnel pays 138% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $47.00 in Quesnel. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $419, with Mexico City 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 Quesnel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Quesnel differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $2,440 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 138% lower in Quesnel. 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $800 in Quesnel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 171% less than in Quesnel. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $783 in Quesnel. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $2,440 in Quesnel, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Quesnel. 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 48% less than in Quesnel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.