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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,549 in Scarborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $3,496 in Scarborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $4,443 in Scarborough.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 35% less than in Scarborough, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 21% above, Scarborough 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$17.54 CA$24.54

-32.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$71.7 CA$100

-27.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$10.85 CA$15.18

5.16%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$4.09 CA$5.72

-2.44%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$2.10 CA$2.94

-20.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.41 CA$1.97

-5.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$6.44 CA$9.01

-46.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$7.01 CA$9.81

-15.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$2.78 CA$3.88

-32.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.63 CA$3.68

23.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.59 CA$3.63

-16.60%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$3.85 CA$5.39

-24.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$10.07 CA$14.08

27.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$11.16 CA$15.62

-9.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$13.51 CA$18.90

17.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$3.51 CA$4.91

-6.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.20 CA$1.69

67.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$3.41 CA$4.77

-35.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$4.10 CA$5.74

-42.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.85 CA$2.59

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.53 CA$2.15

24.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$2.36 CA$3.30

-31.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.49 CA$2.09

-6.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$14.61 CA$20.44

-62.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$12.78 CA$17.88

38.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$2.23 CA$3.11

-7.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.54 CA$3.55

84.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$2.41 CA$3.37

-85.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$109 CA$153

-80.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$3.02 CA$4.22

-30.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.27 CA$1.78

-55.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$22.04 CA$30.83

-73.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.22 CA$1.71

31.97%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$26.9K CA$37.6K

-15.03%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$20.7K CA$28.9K

29.45%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$145 CA$202

-54.90%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$36.27 CA$50.7

-17.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$48.71 CA$68.1

-23.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$35.49 CA$49.64

68.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$35.78 CA$50.1

-25.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$13.01 CA$18.20

-45.89%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$788 CA$1,103

-41.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$10.8K CA$15.1K

23.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$53.9 CA$75.4

40.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$41.60 CA$58.2

34.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$86.1 CA$120

29.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$106 CA$148

14.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$1,732 CA$2,423

-36.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$1,374 CA$1,922

-47.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$2,128 CA$2,977

18.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$1,771 CA$2,478

-26.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$7,645 CA$10.7K

-47.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$6,108 CA$8,545

-65.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$3,020 CA$4,225

-65.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.51

150.55%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $1,732 in Scarborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Scarborough pays 191% 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 $72.0 in Scarborough. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $343, with Scarborough 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 Scarborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Scarborough differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $2,549 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 191% lower in Scarborough. 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 $1,732 in Scarborough. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 424% less than in Scarborough. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $788 in Scarborough. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,549 in Scarborough, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Scarborough. 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Scarborough. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.