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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,364 in Rarotonga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $2,016 in Rarotonga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,668 in Rarotonga.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 8% more expensive than Rarotonga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Rarotonga 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$230

$12.30 NZ$21.19

7.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$941

$59.6 NZ$103

-9.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$165

$7.44 NZ$12.81

26.61%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$62.0

$4.41 NZ$7.60

-19.50%

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

$1.62 MX$28.26

$3.29 NZ$5.67

-50.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.46

$2.84 NZ$4.89

-60.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.5

$6.54 NZ$11.26

-52.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.9

$5.37 NZ$9.25

-13.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.72

$2.22 NZ$3.83

-23.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.48

$2.91 NZ$5.02

-6.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.40

$1.54 NZ$2.65

24.03%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.30

$6.66 NZ$11.47

-61.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$175

$8.99 NZ$15.49

11.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$141

$7.37 NZ$12.69

9.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$203

$7.27 NZ$12.53

59.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.8

$3.04 NZ$5.24

-2.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.55

$2.99 NZ$5.15

-39.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.17

$3.64 NZ$6.27

-44.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.54

$2.99 NZ$5.16

-32.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$37.11

$1.84 NZ$3.16

15.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.64

$1.41 NZ$2.44

60.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.46

$1.76 NZ$3.03

-20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.74

$3.57 NZ$6.14

-68.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.6

$14.90 NZ$25.67

-71.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$272

$11.91 NZ$20.52

30.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.69

$3.66 NZ$6.31

-51.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.8

$5.35 NZ$9.22

-32.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.69

$2.99 NZ$5.16

-87.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$335

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.03

$21.05 NZ$36.27

-93.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.83

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$95.2

$35.47 NZ$61.1

-84.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.78

$1.86 NZ$3.21

-30.11%

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

$18.7K MX$326.4K

$12.0K NZ$20.7K

55.62%

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

$23.1K MX$404.1K

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

$40.86 MX$714

$91.0 NZ$157

-55.12%

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

$26.81 MX$468

$29.94 NZ$51.6

-10.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$523

$103 NZ$178

-71.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$909

$25.41 NZ$43.78

104.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$469

$23.98 NZ$41.32

11.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$110

$6.91 NZ$11.91

-8.83%

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

$436 MX$7,619

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$182.0K

$1,456 NZ$2,508

615.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$990

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$775

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,798

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,843

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.9K

$481 NZ$829

112.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$11.0K

$479 NZ$826

31.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.3K

$736 NZ$1,269

190.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.7K

$715 NZ$1,233

73.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.5K

$4,156 NZ$7,159

-73.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

41.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Rarotonga: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $481 in Rarotonga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rarotonga pays 273% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $60.0 in Rarotonga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $344 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 Rarotonga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Rarotonga differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $1,364 including rent). Rarotonga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Rarotonga earns 273% less. 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $481 in Rarotonga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rarotonga – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $1,364 in Rarotonga – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,364 in Rarotonga versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rarotonga but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Rarotonga 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Rarotonga are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Rarotonga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.