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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,378 in Shaab.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $2,332 in Shaab.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $3,286 in Shaab.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 6% more expensive than in Shaab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Shaab 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$9.90 KWD 3.07

32.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$82.0 KWD 25.40

-34.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$9.16 KWD 2.84

5.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$5.85 KWD 1.81

-36.07%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.69 KWD 0.21

134.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.38 KWD 0.12

205.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.63 KWD 0.50

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.23 KWD 0.38

123.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.73 KWD 0.54

8.09%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.01 KWD 0.62

24.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$5.09 KWD 1.58

100.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$6.39 KWD 1.98

29.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$10.32 KWD 3.20

14.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.41 KWD 0.75

24.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.92 KWD 0.59

-5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.79 KWD 0.55

11.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.49 KWD 0.46

34.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.22 KWD 0.38

70.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.32 KWD 0.41

71.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-9.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.49 KWD 0.15

120.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.33 KWD 1.03

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.86 KWD 0.89

52.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.83 KWD 0.26

-53.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$44.40 KWD 13.76

-57.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$3.25 KWD 1.01

-59.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$3.32 KWD 1.03

-91.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$16.46 KWD 5.10

-68.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.34 KWD 0.10

294.12%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$21.5K KWD 6,654

-9.60%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$19.6K KWD 6,088

21.31%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$62.9 KWD 19.49

-35.29%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$18.50 KWD 5.73

45.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$26.11 KWD 8.09

16.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$93.7 KWD 29.03

-43.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$47.12 KWD 14.60

-43.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$11.26 KWD 3.49

-42.18%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$408 KWD 126

5.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$6,576 KWD 2,038

59.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$42.81 KWD 13.27

33.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$42.43 KWD 13.15

7.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$86.4 KWD 26.78

20.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$82.9 KWD 25.70

30.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$784 KWD 243

27.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$621 KWD 192

0.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$1,604 KWD 497

31.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$1,277 KWD 396

-4.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$3,210 KWD 995

-67.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.14

58.82%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shaab: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $784 in Shaab. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shaab pays 209% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $82.0 in Shaab. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $179, with Shaab 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 Shaab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Shaab differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,378 including rent). Shaab is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 209% lower in Shaab. 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $784 in Shaab. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shaab runs roughly 138% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $408 in Shaab. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,378 in Shaab versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shaab but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Shaab 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 Shaab 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 Shaab gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.