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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $832 in Ratchaburi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,391 in Ratchaburi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,949 in Ratchaburi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 77% more expensive than in Ratchaburi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Ratchaburi is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.73 ฿124

252.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$31.01 ฿1,035

72.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$6.05 ฿202

54.21%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.06 ฿35.48

249.06%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.30 ฿9.93

433.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.32 ฿10.72

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.36 ฿78.8

33.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.14 ฿71.5

126.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.74 ฿58.0

-5.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.15 ฿38.49

135.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.60 ฿20.02

218.33%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.29 ฿76.5

13.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$15.46 ฿516

-36.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$2.39 ฿79.8

252.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$6.94 ฿231

71.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.15 ฿105

-6.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$0.64 ฿21.49

171.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.20 ฿40.02

70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.45 ฿14.97

357.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.96 ฿32.12

123.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.84 ฿28.03

169.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.60 ฿20.08

131.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.52 ฿17.51

115.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$3.40 ฿113

24.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$17.75 ฿592

-1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.75 ฿58.3

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.19 ฿73.2

65.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.89 ฿29.56

-60.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$31.31 ฿1,044

-38.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.06 ฿35.28

30.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.46 ฿15.33

-39.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$3.30 ฿110

60.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.97 ฿32.43

40.21%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$28.5K ฿950.6K

-32.96%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$21.3K ฿710.4K

10.86%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$62.3 ฿2,077

-34.90%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$13.80 ฿461

98.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$10.92 ฿364

178.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$48.40 ฿1,615

7.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$12.03 ฿401

120.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$4.09 ฿136

51.34%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$296 ฿9,889

43.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$9,407 ฿313.8K

14.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$30.00 ฿1,001

94.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$19.60 ฿654

127.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$100 ฿3,340

3.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$43.36 ฿1,446

150.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$421 ฿14.0K

140.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$280 ฿9,349

122.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$797 ฿26.6K

166.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$662 ฿22.1K

84.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,865 ฿62.2K

103.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,390 ฿46.4K

51.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Ratchaburi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $421 in Ratchaburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $31.00 in Ratchaburi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 77% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $832 including rent). Ratchaburi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,208 in Mexico City and $1,248 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $421 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 62% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $296 in Ratchaburi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $832 in Ratchaburi versus $1,472 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 77% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.