Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Road Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Road Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,623 in Road Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $4,530 in Road Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $6,437 in Road Town.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 37% less than in Road Town, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 21% above, Road Town 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$17.84 $17.84

-33.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$78.7 $78.7

-34.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.82 $7.82

45.91%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$4.62 $4.62

-13.64%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$1.67 $1.67

-0.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.97 $0.97

37.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$3.97 $3.97

-12.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.76 $1.76

235.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$2.24 $2.24

-16.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$4.59 $4.59

-29.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$2.99 $2.99

-27.76%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$4.86 $4.86

-40.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$3.74 $3.74

-12.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$3.36 $3.36

-40.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.03 $2.03

8.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$6.50 $6.50

-63.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$4.79 $4.79

-57.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$3.94 $3.94

-51.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$6.48 $6.48

-75.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$1.87 $1.87

-25.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$5.31 $5.31

2.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$10.89 $10.89

62.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$4.02 $4.02

-91.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.25 $1.25

28.80%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$166 $166

-60.63%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$81.8 $81.8

-63.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$125 $125

-70.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$120 $120

-50.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$20.07 $20.07

32.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$10.04 $10.04

-29.88%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$381 $381

22.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$10.2K $10.2K

29.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$47.83 $47.83

58.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$55.4 $55.4

0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$132 $132

-15.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$137 $137

-12.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$1,673 $1,673

-34.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$1,347 $1,347

-46.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$4,332 $4,332

-41.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$3,603 $3,603

-64.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,692 $1,692

-38.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Road Town: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $1,673 in Road Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Road Town pays 63% 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 $79.0 in Road Town. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $271, with Road Town cheaper for home cooking.

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 Road Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Road Town differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $2,623 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 63% lower in Road Town. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $1,673 in Road Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $381 in Road Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $79.0 in Road Town. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,623 in Road Town, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Road Town. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Road Town 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Road Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.