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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,668 in Mexico City versus $394 in Shillong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $632 in Shillong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Mexico City versus $870 in Shillong.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 324% more expensive than in Shillong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 24% above, Shillong is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$213

$2.90 ₹278

314.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$934

$11.43 ₹1,095

362.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$207

$4.58 ₹439

155.24%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$68.4

$1.60 ₹153

141.88%

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

$1.75 MX$30.94

$0.41 ₹39.19

326.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$24.65

$0.14 ₹13.11

892.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$59.4

$1.28 ₹122

162.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$102

$3.36 ₹322

71.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$31.92

$0.62 ₹59.4

191.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$54.5

$0.34 ₹32.11

805.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.65

$0.56 ₹53.6

280.36%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$52.6

$0.99 ₹94.6

201.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$221

$3.86 ₹370

224.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$181

$2.48 ₹238

312.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$281

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$59.8

$2.15 ₹206

57.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.24

$0.66 ₹63.2

219.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.59

$0.88 ₹84.4

142.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$43.61

$0.53 ₹50.4

366.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.03

$0.33 ₹31.77

518.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.59

$0.35 ₹33.29

474.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.15

$0.20 ₹19.15

695.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.50

$0.25 ₹23.68

432.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$97.0

$5.06 ₹485

8.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$310

$4.64 ₹444

277.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$35.61

$1.21 ₹116

66.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.8

$1.92 ₹184

146.88%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.82 ₹462

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.28

$0.68 ₹65.6

201.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.75

$0.30 ₹28.80

103.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$101

$1.33 ₹128

328.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.09

$1.02 ₹97.7

55.88%

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

$22.9K MX$404.6K

$12.4K ₹1.2M

84.69%

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

$26.4K MX$466.2K

$16.3K ₹1.6M

61.75%

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

$64.2 MX$1,135

$34.15 ₹3,272

88.11%

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

$29.42 MX$520

$3.30 ₹317

791.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$651

$6.14 ₹588

499.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,038

$9.98 ₹957

488.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

$5.08 ₹487

422.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$123

$3.19 ₹306

117.87%

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

$463 MX$8,180

$27.03 ₹2,590

1612.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$236.2K

$1,159 ₹111.1K

1052.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,333

$17.20 ₹1,648

338.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$958

$21.77 ₹2,086

149.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,965

$37.04 ₹3,549

200.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,160

$27.22 ₹2,608

348.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.0K

$211 ₹20.2K

437.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.3K

$131 ₹12.6K

431.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.2K

$725 ₹69.4K

236.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.0K

$282 ₹27.0K

361.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$69.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

$447 ₹42.8K

135.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

7.38

53.12%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Shillong: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Mexico City and $211 in Shillong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 135% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Shillong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $85.0 per month, with Shillong 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 Shillong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Shillong differ by about 324% in total monthly costs ($1,668 vs $394 including rent). Shillong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 135% 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: $1,133 in Mexico City versus $211 in Shillong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $463 in Mexico City versus $27.03 in Shillong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Shillong – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $394 in Shillong versus $1,668 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Shillong but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Shillong 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 Shillong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 324% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.