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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $534 in Ragama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $867 in Ragama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,201 in Ragama.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 171% more expensive than Ragama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Ragama is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$4.06 LKR 1,369

219.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$918

$25.46 LKR 8,582

106.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$165

$8.28 LKR 2,790

13.89%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$62.3

$2.76 LKR 929

29.35%

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

$1.61 MX$28.02

$0.73 LKR 247

120.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$20.14

$0.38 LKR 128

202.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$2.38 LKR 802

32.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$84.8

$3.44 LKR 1,161

41.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.66

$1.63 LKR 551

4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.99

$0.53 LKR 178

398.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.22

$0.75 LKR 254

153.33%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.35

$2.13 LKR 717

19.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$14.01 LKR 4,720

-28.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.60 LKR 1,550

80.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$202

$7.90 LKR 2,662

46.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$7.43 LKR 2,504

-59.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.85

$1.10 LKR 372

55.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.76

$5.62 LKR 1,894

-63.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.95

$1.25 LKR 421

64.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$36.03

$1.16 LKR 392

77.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.87

$1.19 LKR 400

82.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.49

$1.20 LKR 404

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.58

$0.60 LKR 201

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$74.9

$10.10 LKR 3,403

-57.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$269

$12.58 LKR 4,240

22.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$29.23

$2.02 LKR 682

-17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$64.3

$2.94 LKR 992

25.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$333

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.10

$0.41 LKR 138

236.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.82

$0.32 LKR 109

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.5

$0.56 LKR 189

867.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.35

$1.21 LKR 407

5.79%

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

$19.0K MX$331.3K

$26.6K LKR 9.0M

-28.60%

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

$23.5K MX$409.5K

$34.9K LKR 11.8M

-32.73%

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

$41.02 MX$716

$60.7 LKR 20.4K

-32.38%

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

$26.92 MX$470

$4.27 LKR 1,438

530.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$518

$15.07 LKR 5,079

97.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$913

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$108

$3.38 LKR 1,138

82.84%

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

$427 MX$7,454

$36.60 LKR 12.3K

1066.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.7K

$444 LKR 149.7K

2307.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$992

$27.18 LKR 9,159

109.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$782

$19.47 LKR 6,561

130.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,824

$69.4 LKR 23.4K

50.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,849

$38.05 LKR 12.8K

178.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

16.45

-31.06%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ragama: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $25.00 in Ragama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $253 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 171% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $534 including rent). Ragama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $800 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 $427 in Mexico City versus $36.60 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 $25.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $534 in Ragama versus $1,447 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 171% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.