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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $841 in Ratchaburi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,397 in Ratchaburi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,952 in Ratchaburi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 76% more expensive than 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

$12.98 MX$227

$3.74 ฿122

247.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$30.69 ฿1,004

72.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$6.06 ฿198

60.40%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.10 ฿36.05

240.91%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.30 ฿9.72

423.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.33 ฿10.64

242.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.29 ฿75.0

38.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.21 ฿72.1

110.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.75 ฿57.1

-7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.15 ฿37.45

135.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.65 ฿21.23

189.23%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.33 ฿76.3

7.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$15.65 ฿512

-35.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.51 ฿82.0

230.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$6.62 ฿217

80.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$3.04 ฿99.3

-5.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.59 ฿19.42

196.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.26 ฿41.27

65.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.41 ฿13.50

380.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.89 ฿29.12

142.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.88 ฿28.71

147.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.64 ฿21.08

117.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.57 ฿18.61

96.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$3.49 ฿114

20.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$18.51 ฿605

-23.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.75 ฿57.2

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.14 ฿69.9

71.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.96 ฿31.45

-59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$30.76 ฿1,006

-39.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.09 ฿35.74

27.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.48 ฿15.82

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$3.47 ฿113

56.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.98 ฿32.01

37.76%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$27.7K ฿906.4K

-31.88%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$21.9K ฿716.0K

5.74%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$60.9 ฿1,993

-33.02%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$13.75 ฿450

100.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$10.70 ฿350

183.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$48.41 ฿1,583

10.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$11.96 ฿391

119.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$4.04 ฿132

55.20%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$290 ฿9,484

50.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$9,215 ฿301.3K

13.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$30.08 ฿984

88.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$19.94 ฿652

124.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$102 ฿3,340

0.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$43.07 ฿1,408

150.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$418 ฿13.7K

139.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$281 ฿9,181

120.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$822 ฿26.9K

159.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$649 ฿21.2K

90.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$2,290 ฿74.9K

68.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,418 ฿46.4K

64.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ratchaburi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $418 in Ratchaburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $31.00 in Ratchaburi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $210 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 76% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $841 including rent). Ratchaburi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,225 in Mexico City and $1,262 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $418 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 65% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $290 in Ratchaburi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $841 in Ratchaburi versus $1,484 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 76% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.