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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $853 in Ratchaburi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,388 in Ratchaburi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,923 in Ratchaburi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 70% more expensive than Ratchaburi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Ratchaburi is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.74 ฿122

247.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$30.22 ฿984

74.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.02 ฿196

56.64%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.06 ฿34.40

236.79%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.30 ฿9.66

436.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.32 ฿10.57

259.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.27 ฿73.8

38.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.12 ฿69.0

129.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.76 ฿57.3

-3.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.19 ฿38.80

121.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.60 ฿19.57

216.67%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.33 ฿75.7

9.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$15.71 ฿512

-35.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$2.49 ฿81.1

232.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$6.75 ฿220

71.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.02 ฿98.5

0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$0.65 ฿21.13

163.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.25 ฿40.55

64.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.41 ฿13.39

402.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.96 ฿31.26

114.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.90 ฿29.23

141.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.60 ฿19.53

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.53 ฿17.20

111.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.42 ฿112

25.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$16.90 ฿550

-8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.81 ฿58.8

-7.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.10 ฿68.3

75.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.89 ฿28.87

-57.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$31.32 ฿1,020

-39.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.06 ฿34.53

30.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.49 ฿16.05

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$3.42 ฿111

58.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.95 ฿30.92

34.74%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$28.7K ฿935.8K

-33.94%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$21.8K ฿711.3K

7.42%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$60.5 ฿1,971

-32.22%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$13.64 ฿444

97.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$10.97 ฿357

170.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$48.95 ฿1,594

6.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$12.22 ฿398

114.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.92 ฿128

57.65%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$289 ฿9,396

48.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$9,334 ฿304.0K

14.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$30.00 ฿977

89.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$19.98 ฿651

124.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$102 ฿3,320

2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$43.84 ฿1,428

141.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$431 ฿14.1K

130.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$284 ฿9,240

118.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$809 ฿26.3K

162.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$646 ฿21.0K

94.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,942 ฿63.3K

100.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,508 ฿49.1K

38.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

183.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ratchaburi: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $431 in Ratchaburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $30.00 in Ratchaburi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $208 per month, with Ratchaburi 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 Ratchaburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Ratchaburi differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $853 including rent). Ratchaburi 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 $1,280 in Ratchaburi 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $431 in Ratchaburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ratchaburi runs roughly 64% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $289 in Ratchaburi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $853 in Ratchaburi versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ratchaburi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ratchaburi 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 Ratchaburi 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 Ratchaburi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.