Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Rayong

For one person, living is cheaper in Rayong: $940 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Rayong, Thailand
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Rayong
🇹🇭 Thailand
$940
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Rayong

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Rayong actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $940 in Rayong.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Rayong $940

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $1,192 in Rayong.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Rayong $1,192

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $1,444 in Rayong.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Rayong $1,444

Living in Mexico City is roughly 71% more expensive than in Rayong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 18% above, Rayong is 31% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Rayong
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$200
$2.99 ฿101
255.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$909
$17.80 ฿601
171.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$194
$7.53 ฿254
37.45%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$69.4
$1.68 ฿56.6
119.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.32
$0.52 ฿17.42
221.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.78
$0.28 ฿9.49
353.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$60.0
$1.74 ฿58.8
83.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$99.7
$3.01 ฿102
76.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Rayong
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.41
$1.90 ฿64.3
-9.47%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$57.1
$1.32 ฿44.45
130.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.48
$1.40 ฿47.28
38.57%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$54.3
$2.48 ฿83.7
16.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$206
$17.25 ฿582
-36.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$174
$2.86 ฿96.4
223.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$284
$13.00 ฿439
16.38%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$57.3
$3.29 ฿111
-7.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.48
$1.73 ฿58.5
12.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.06
$2.26 ฿76.4
-10.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.50
$1.88 ฿63.6
22.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$38.25
$1.69 ฿57.1
20.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.83
$1.48 ฿49.92
21.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.80
$1.28 ฿43.06
15.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.82
$0.48 ฿16.14
164.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$99.7
$4.76 ฿161
11.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$303
$14.72 ฿497
9.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$37.27
$1.77 ฿59.8
11.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.9
$3.26 ฿110
30.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Rayong
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.73
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$371
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.53
$1.06 ฿35.90
73.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$10.03
$1.20 ฿40.47
-55.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$99.5
$6.09 ฿206
-12.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.39
$1.40 ฿47.14
7.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$408.8K
$30.6K ฿1.0M
-28.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$450.8K
$26.5K ฿892.7K
-9.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Rayong
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,184
$44.92 ฿1,516
40.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$515
$14.62 ฿494
87.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$670
$11.77 ฿397
203.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Rayong
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,108
$67.2 ฿2,269
-12.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$444
$17.41 ฿588
35.78%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$120
$6.63 ฿224
-3.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Rayong
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,111
$788 ฿26.6K
-45.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$214.7K
$16.5K ฿556.6K
-30.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Rayong
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,282
$69.4 ฿2,342
-1.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$999
$43.09 ฿1,454
23.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,026
$98.1 ฿3,311
9.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,204
$103 ฿3,477
13.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Rayong
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.9K
$421 ฿14.2K
164.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.4K
$293 ฿9,905
142.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$68.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$40.1K
$1,999 ฿67.5K
6.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Rayong
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.8K
$460 ฿15.5K
105.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
5.25
116.19%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Rayong: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Rayong
$293 58.7% $417
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Rayong
$262 18.1% $58
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Rayong
$85 57.4% $114
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Rayong
$141 9.5% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Rayong
$71 43.4% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Rayong
$80 12.2% $8.7
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Rayong
$7.1 * 72.3% $18

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $421 in Rayong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays about 2.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $48 in Mexico City vs $18 in Rayong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $262 per month, with Rayong cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇹🇭 Rayong
🕒 Local time
23:29 11:29 PM
12:29 12:29 PM
13 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
63,565
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Rayong 15,800 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Rayong

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Rayong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Rayong?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,608 in Mexico City and $940 in Rayong, so Rayong is about 42% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Mexico City or Rayong?
Average pay in Mexico City is about 2.1 times higher, 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 in Rayong?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $421 in Rayong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Rayong?
Childcare runs $432 in Mexico City versus $788 in Rayong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Rayong – a meal for two runs $18 versus $48 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $940 in Rayong versus $1,608 in Mexico City, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Rayong but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Rayong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Rayong?
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.
How do I decide between Mexico City and Rayong?
It comes down to priorities – Rayong wins on affordability, Mexico City on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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