😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $885 in Samut Sakhon.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,390 in Samut Sakhon.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,896 in Samut Sakhon.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 66% more expensive than Samut Sakhon, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Samut Sakhon is 34% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.18MX$230
$1.83฿60.0
620.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.9MX$941
$18.81฿617
186.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42MX$165
$6.09฿200
54.68%
Cappuccino
$3.55MX$62.0
$1.19฿39.20
198.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$28.25
$0.35฿11.64
362.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11MX$19.46
$0.32฿10.60
246.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.12MX$54.5
$1.92฿63.1
62.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63MX$80.9
$2.48฿81.3
86.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70MX$29.71
$1.69฿55.4
0.59%
White Bread(500g)
$2.72MX$47.47
$1.41฿46.31
92.91%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.91MX$33.39
$1.32฿43.36
44.70%
Eggs
$2.54MX$44.29
$2.33฿76.6
9.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.03MX$175
$15.44฿506
-35.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.09MX$141
$3.29฿108
145.90%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.62MX$203
$11.40฿374
1.93%
Apples(1kg)
$2.97MX$51.8
$3.26฿107
-8.90%
Banana(1kg)
$1.81MX$31.55
$1.33฿43.77
36.09%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.01MX$35.16
$1.91฿62.8
5.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03MX$35.54
$1.40฿46.08
45.00%
Potato(1kg)
$2.12MX$37.10
$1.47฿48.35
44.22%
Onion(1kg)
$2.27MX$39.63
$1.20฿39.49
89.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.40MX$24.45
$1.68฿55.2
-16.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.74
$0.57฿18.81
98.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27MX$74.6
$4.74฿155
-9.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.56MX$272
$17.10฿561
-9.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.68
$1.83฿60.1
-3.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60MX$62.8
$2.36฿77.5
52.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.38MX$6.69
$0.38฿12.39
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.18MX$335
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.38MX$24.03
$1.06฿34.75
30.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.28MX$4.83
$1.25฿41.04
-77.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.45MX$95.1
$3.45฿113
57.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30MX$22.77
$1.20฿39.39
8.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.7KMX$326.4K
$25.9K฿849.4K
-27.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1KMX$404.0K
$26.7K฿875.5K
-13.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.86MX$714
$76.9฿2,522
-46.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.81MX$468
$13.81฿453
94.13%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.96MX$523
$18.16฿596
64.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.0MX$908
$49.11฿1,611
5.93%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.84MX$469
$12.35฿405
117.33%
Cinema Ticket
$6.30MX$110
$7.90฿259
-20.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,617
$296฿9,704
47.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.4KMX$181.9K
$9,193฿301.6K
13.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.7MX$989
$30.08฿987
88.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.38MX$775
$19.54฿641
127.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,798
$99.5฿3,264
3.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106MX$1,843
$43.33฿1,422
143.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,022MX$17.8K
$426฿14.0K
140.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$631MX$11.0K
$286฿9,370
120.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,136MX$37.3K
$807฿26.5K
164.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,243MX$21.7K
$667฿21.9K
86.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,903MX$68.2K
$2,265฿74.3K
72.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,064MX$36.1K
$1,507฿49.5K
36.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,115MX$19.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
5.45
108.07%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026
Last update for Samut Sakhon: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $426 in Samut Sakhon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $19.00 in Samut Sakhon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $250 per month, with Samut Sakhon 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 Samut Sakhon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Samut Sakhon?
Mexico City and Samut Sakhon differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $885 including rent). Samut Sakhon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Samut Sakhon?
You'd need roughly $2,201 in Mexico City and $1,328 in Samut Sakhon 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Samut Sakhon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $426 in Samut Sakhon. 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 Samut Sakhon?
Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $296 in Samut Sakhon. 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 Samut Sakhon – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $885 in Samut Sakhon versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Samut Sakhon but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Samut Sakhon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Samut Sakhon?
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.
Is Mexico City or Samut Sakhon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Samut Sakhon 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 Samut Sakhon?
Expats usually find Samut Sakhon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared