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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,139 in Rarotonga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,617 in Rarotonga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,096 in Rarotonga.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 47% more expensive than in Rarotonga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Rarotonga is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$14.77 NZ$25.39

-17.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$52.7 NZ$90.7

2.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$5.76 NZ$9.91

92.53%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.44 NZ$5.91

19.19%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$2.30 NZ$3.95

-26.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$2.28 NZ$3.93

-39.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$5.28 NZ$9.07

-36.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$5.31 NZ$9.13

10.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$2.85 NZ$4.90

-35.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$3.03 NZ$5.20

4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$6.25 NZ$10.74

-53.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$7.74 NZ$13.31

62.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$11.92 NZ$20.49

-51.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$11.73 NZ$20.17

51.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$3.46 NZ$5.95

-40.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$5.40 NZ$9.29

-14.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$2.92 NZ$5.02

-87.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$20.77 NZ$35.72

-90.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$35.89 NZ$61.7

-83.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.80 NZ$3.09

-13.89%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$11.7K NZ$20.2K

94.92%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$103 NZ$176

-34.30%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$49.34 NZ$84.8

-37.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$108 NZ$186

-65.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

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

$456 MX$7,739

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$1,417 NZ$2,437

866.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$474 NZ$815

141.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$463 NZ$796

53.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$710 NZ$1,221

262.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$656 NZ$1,129

97.25%

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

$4,121 NZ$7,085

-73.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Rarotonga: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $474 in Rarotonga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rarotonga pays 281% 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 $53.0 in Rarotonga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $159 per month, with Rarotonga 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 47% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $1,139 including rent). Rarotonga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 281% lower in Rarotonga. 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $474 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 $53.0 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 $1,677 per month in Mexico City versus $1,139 in Rarotonga – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,139 in Rarotonga versus $1,677 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 47% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.