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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $515 in Ragama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $835 in Ragama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,154 in Ragama.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 225% more expensive than in Ragama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Ragama is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$4.41 LKR 1,448

175.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$26.20 LKR 8,610

105.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$7.64 LKR 2,509

45.16%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.54 LKR 834

61.42%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.69 LKR 226

143.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.27 LKR 88.7

414.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.25 LKR 740

48.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$3.12 LKR 1,026

88.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.43 LKR 468

29.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.51 LKR 166

521.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$0.69 LKR 226

200.00%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.66 LKR 546

76.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$13.16 LKR 4,324

-4.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$4.94 LKR 1,622

104.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$7.23 LKR 2,376

122.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$6.71 LKR 2,206

-49.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$0.89 LKR 294

133.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$4.32 LKR 1,420

-50.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.24 LKR 408

94.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.04 LKR 343

104.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.80 LKR 262

151.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.88 LKR 290

76.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.46 LKR 151

195.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$10.46 LKR 3,435

-44.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$13.56 LKR 4,457

30.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$2.00 LKR 656

3.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.77 LKR 909

66.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.39 LKR 128

425.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.39 LKR 127

48.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$0.92 LKR 303

559.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.35 LKR 443

14.81%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$30.0K LKR 9.8M

-23.66%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

-34.62%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$54.4 LKR 17.9K

24.01%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$4.16 LKR 1,366

636.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$20.62 LKR 6,776

80.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$4.49 LKR 1,477

58.35%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$38.72 LKR 12.7K

1078.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$1,242 LKR 408.2K

1002.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$20.02 LKR 6,577

270.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$16.51 LKR 5,424

245.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$79.6 LKR 26.1K

45.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$41.71 LKR 13.7K

191.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

12.69

-10.95%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ragama: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $26.00 in Ragama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $233 per month, with Ragama 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 Ragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Ragama differ by about 225% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $515 including rent). Ragama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,515 in Mexico City and $773 in Ragama 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.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $38.72 in Ragama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ragama – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $515 in Ragama versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ragama but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ragama 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 Ragama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 225% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.