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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,466 in Mexico City versus $352 in Ratlam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Mexico City versus $522 in Ratlam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Mexico City versus $691 in Ratlam.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 316% more expensive than Ratlam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Ratlam is 74% below.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Mexico City
Ratlam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.30 MX$231
$1.96 โ‚น184
578.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.8 MX$932
$6.80 โ‚น638
691.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.42 MX$163
$2.95 โ‚น277
219.32%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$62.3
$1.58 โ‚น148
127.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$28.13
$0.36 โ‚น33.99
350.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 MX$19.49
$0.13 โ‚น12.42
761.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$56.3
$2.19 โ‚น206
48.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.65 MX$80.6
$5.30 โ‚น497
-12.26%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Ratlam
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 MX$28.37
$0.62 โ‚น58.2
164.52%
White Bread (500g)
$2.65 MX$46.00
$0.48 โ‚น45.09
452.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.99
$0.72 โ‚น67.5
172.22%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$44.08
$0.82 โ‚น77.0
209.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.97 MX$173
$4.90 โ‚น460
103.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.39 MX$145
$2.31 โ‚น217
263.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.83 MX$205
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.86 MX$49.62
$2.36 โ‚น222
21.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 MX$30.05
$0.45 โ‚น42.39
284.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.50
$1.01 โ‚น94.8
97.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 MX$35.51
$0.80 โ‚น74.9
156.25%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$35.64
$0.16 โ‚น14.95
1187.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 MX$39.54
$0.22 โ‚น20.51
936.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 MX$25.05
$0.50 โ‚น46.76
190.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.83
$0.34 โ‚น31.71
220.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$73.9
$3.57 โ‚น335
19.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.67 MX$254
$5.19 โ‚น487
182.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 MX$30.58
$1.61 โ‚น151
9.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57 MX$61.8
$2.24 โ‚น210
59.37%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.64 โ‚น530
-
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Mexico City
Ratlam
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 MX$6.67
$0.28 โ‚น26.01
35.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.73 MX$325
$8.62 โ‚น809
117.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.39 MX$24.09
$0.70 โ‚น65.9
98.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.30 MX$5.26
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 MX$93.8
$1.49 โ‚น140
263.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 MX$23.22
$1.18 โ‚น111
13.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9K MX$326.7K
$15.3K โ‚น1.4M
22.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2K MX$402.0K
$19.9K โ‚น1.9M
16.31%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Ratlam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.30 MX$698
$28.76 โ‚น2,700
40.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.15 MX$471
$3.96 โ‚น371
585.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46 MX$510
$5.89 โ‚น553
400.17%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Ratlam
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.7 MX$914
$5.91 โ‚น555
792.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.17 MX$454
$6.90 โ‚น648
279.28%
Cinema Ticket
$6.18 MX$107
$3.42 โ‚น321
80.70%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Ratlam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$441 MX$7,637
$62.3 โ‚น5,849
607.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K MX$185.4K
$1,092 โ‚น102.5K
879.56%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Ratlam
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.2 MX$992
$7.91 โ‚น743
623.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.04 MX$781
$9.39 โ‚น881
379.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 MX$1,793
$17.64 โ‚น1,656
486.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 MX$1,884
$29.04 โ‚น2,726
274.41%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Ratlam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,000 MX$17.3K
$136 โ‚น12.7K
636.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$632 MX$11.0K
$92.2 โ‚น8,655
585.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,141 MX$37.1K
$175 โ‚น16.4K
1126.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,253 MX$21.7K
$144 โ‚น13.5K
772.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,745 MX$64.9K
$969 โ‚น91.0K
286.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,381 MX$41.3K
$517 โ‚น48.5K
360.84%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Ratlam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,079 MX$18.7K
$401 โ‚น37.6K
169.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.34
9.1
24.62%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ratlam: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $136 in Ratlam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 169% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54 in Mexico City vs $7 in Ratlam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $96 per month, with Ratlam 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 Ratlam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Ratlam?
Mexico City and Ratlam differ by about 316% in total monthly costs ($1,466 vs $352 including rent). Ratlam is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Mexico City or Ratlam?
Mexico City pays 169% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Ratlam?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $136 in Ratlam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and Ratlam?
A monthly transit pass in Ratlam runs roughly 117% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Ratlam?
Childcare runs $441 in Mexico City versus $62.3 in Ratlam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $352 in Ratlam versus $1,466 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ratlam but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ratlam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Ratlam?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Mexico City or Ratlam safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Ratlam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Ratlam?
Expats usually find Ratlam gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 316% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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