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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $916 in Rayong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,152 in Rayong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,389 in Rayong.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 81% more expensive than in Rayong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Rayong is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$3.07 ฿102

288.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$18.04 ฿602

186.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.06 ฿236

61.61%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.68 ฿56.1

137.50%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.52 ฿17.34

219.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.26 ฿8.59

411.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.77 ฿59.2

96.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.97 ฿99.3

98.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.88 ฿62.8

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.39 ฿46.41

133.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.57 ฿52.3

37.58%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.57 ฿85.7

12.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$17.15 ฿573

-25.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.94 ฿98.0

241.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$13.73 ฿458

15.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$3.28 ฿110

0.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.88 ฿62.6

6.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.26 ฿75.5

-2.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.96 ฿65.3

20.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.81 ฿60.5

13.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.62 ฿54.0

17.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.29 ฿43.16

24.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.53 ฿17.71

164.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.40 ฿147

24.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$15.20 ฿507

16.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.81 ฿60.5

13.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.36 ฿112

39.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.07 ฿35.72

96.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.18 ฿39.31

-52.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$6.19 ฿207

-6.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.42 ฿47.43

13.38%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$31.5K ฿1.1M

-27.45%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$26.9K ฿898.1K

-0.57%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$45.95 ฿1,534

41.85%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$14.62 ฿488

105.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$11.93 ฿398

211.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$68.0 ฿2,270

-12.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$18.03 ฿602

47.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.82 ฿228

3.23%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$543 ฿18.1K

-14.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$17.3K ฿579.0K

-23.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$30.24 ฿1,009

150.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$44.27 ฿1,478

26.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$98.3 ฿3,282

13.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$74.3 ฿2,480

62.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$421 ฿14.1K

161.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$301 ฿10.0K

139.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,976 ฿66.0K

5.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$768 ฿25.7K

34.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.38

110.04%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Rayong: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $421 in Rayong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 35% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $18.00 in Rayong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $269 per month, with Rayong 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 Rayong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Rayong differ by about 81% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $916 including rent). Rayong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 35% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $421 in Rayong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $543 in Rayong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rayong – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $916 in Rayong versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 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.

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 Rayong 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 Rayong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.