😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,481 in Mexico City versus $882 in Samut Sakhon.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,352 in Mexico City versus $1,412 in Samut Sakhon.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,222 in Mexico City versus $1,942 in Samut Sakhon.
🌍Living in Mexico City is roughly 68% more expensive than in Samut Sakhon, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Samut Sakhon is 34% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.16MX$229
$1.81฿61.2
627.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.6MX$932
$18.22฿615
194.07%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.55MX$166
$6.11฿206
56.30%
Cappuccino
$3.72MX$64.8
$1.25฿42.34
197.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57MX$27.28
$0.36฿12.10
336.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16MX$20.12
$0.32฿10.87
262.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.18MX$55.4
$1.90฿64.0
67.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63MX$80.6
$2.47฿83.4
87.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71MX$29.67
$1.68฿56.7
1.79%
White Bread(500g)
$2.62MX$45.54
$1.35฿45.66
94.07%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.89MX$32.87
$1.33฿44.81
42.11%
Eggs
$2.60MX$45.17
$2.28฿77.0
14.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.91MX$172
$15.49฿523
-36.02%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.22MX$143
$3.37฿114
143.92%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.78MX$205
$11.09฿374
6.22%
Apples(1kg)
$3.00MX$52.1
$3.25฿110
-7.69%
Banana(1kg)
$1.80MX$31.32
$1.34฿45.26
34.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.07MX$36.08
$1.88฿63.5
10.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.97MX$34.23
$1.39฿47.00
41.73%
Potato(1kg)
$2.07MX$36.05
$1.52฿51.2
36.18%
Onion(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.84
$1.21฿40.98
79.34%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.40MX$24.41
$1.71฿57.6
-18.13%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MX$18.70
$0.58฿19.44
84.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12MX$71.7
$4.67฿158
-11.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.42MX$303
$16.14฿545
7.93%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68MX$29.16
$1.84฿62.0
-8.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.65MX$63.5
$2.32฿78.2
57.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.38MX$6.62
$0.37฿12.54
2.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.71MX$326
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.33MX$23.13
$1.06฿35.74
25.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30MX$5.27
$1.23฿41.49
-75.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.51MX$95.9
$3.35฿113
64.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.72
$1.24฿41.93
5.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.2KMX$333.5K
$26.3K฿887.1K
-27.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7KMX$413.3K
$27.3K฿919.7K
-12.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$41.14MX$716
$79.7฿2,689
-48.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.74MX$483
$14.05฿474
97.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.13MX$524
$18.73฿632
60.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.7MX$935
$48.68฿1,643
10.39%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.98MX$452
$12.26฿414
111.91%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49MX$113
$7.61฿257
-14.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$437MX$7,598
$298฿10.0K
46.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5KMX$182.0K
$9,287฿313.4K
12.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.3MX$1,015
$29.93฿1,010
94.89%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.86MX$798
$19.67฿664
133.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101MX$1,765
$101฿3,407
0.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107MX$1,854
$43.67฿1,474
143.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,005MX$17.5K
$425฿14.3K
136.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$634MX$11.0K
$289฿9,738
119.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,148MX$37.4K
$827฿27.9K
159.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,247MX$21.7K
$661฿22.3K
88.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,859MX$67.2K
$1,908฿64.4K
102.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,085MX$36.3K
$1,439฿48.6K
44.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Samut Sakhon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,072MX$18.7K
-
-
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: July 22, 2026
Last update for Samut Sakhon: July 19, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,005 in Mexico City and $425 in Samut Sakhon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $18.00 in Samut Sakhon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $247 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 in Samut Sakhon?
Mexico City and Samut Sakhon differ by about 68% in total monthly costs ($1,481 vs $882 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 $2,222 in Mexico City and $1,323 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 in Samut Sakhon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,005 in Mexico City versus $425 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 $437 in Mexico City versus $298 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 $18.00 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 $882 in Samut Sakhon versus $1,481 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 68% 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