Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sharm El Sheikh Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sharm El Sheikh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $462 in Sharm El Sheikh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $726 in Sharm El Sheikh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $990 in Sharm El Sheikh.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 259% more expensive than in Sharm El Sheikh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Sharm El Sheikh is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$23.01 E£1,200

124.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$4.92 E£257

131.91%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.27 E£118

75.77%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.34 E£17.56

388.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.57 E£29.64

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$3.83 E£200

-9.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$4.88 E£255

20.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$0.89 E£46.17

111.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.47 E£24.30

359.57%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.25 E£65.0

132.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.85 E£201

161.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.58 E£82.3

108.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$0.46 E£24.20

336.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$0.47 E£24.50

368.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.30 E£15.66

686.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.19 E£114

149.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.56 E£81.6

32.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.09 E£4.60

277.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.43 E£22.48

274.42%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$33.1K E£1.7M

-30.94%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$22.6K E£1.2M

18.39%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

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

$30.09 MX$519

$11.71 E£611

156.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$28.57 E£1,490

30.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

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

$465 MX$8,012

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$368 E£19.2K

199.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$296 E£15.4K

143.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$632 E£32.9K

300.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$546 E£28.5K

136.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$983 E£51.3K

305.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$684 E£35.7K

205.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$156 E£8,147

564.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

26.5

-57.36%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sharm El Sheikh: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $368 in Sharm El Sheikh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 564% 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 $23.00 in Sharm El Sheikh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $57.0 per month, with Sharm El Sheikh 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 Sharm El Sheikh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sharm El Sheikh differ by about 259% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $462 including rent). Sharm El Sheikh is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 564% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $368 in Sharm El Sheikh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sharm El Sheikh – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $462 in Sharm El Sheikh – a 259% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $462 in Sharm El Sheikh versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sharm El Sheikh but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sharm El Sheikh 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 Sharm El Sheikh 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 Sharm El Sheikh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 259% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.