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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $443 in Shillong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $684 in Shillong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $924 in Shillong.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 229% more expensive than in Shillong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Shillong is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$1.43 ₹138

813.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$940

$10.30 ₹992

421.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$4.71 ₹454

105.52%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.4

$1.22 ₹118

206.56%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$0.36 ₹34.74

350.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.31

$0.14 ₹13.19

728.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.4

$1.43 ₹138

125.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.9

$3.28 ₹316

44.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.80

$0.61 ₹58.7

170.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.15

$0.36 ₹35.09

663.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.77

$0.52 ₹50.1

259.62%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.72

$0.82 ₹79.2

204.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$4.43 ₹427

130.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.31 ₹319

149.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

$1.93 ₹186

55.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

$0.75 ₹71.8

141.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.96

$0.97 ₹93.5

106.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.89

$0.55 ₹53.3

263.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$0.29 ₹27.52

617.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

$0.36 ₹34.64

530.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.47

$0.37 ₹35.51

294.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.82

$0.18 ₹17.51

500.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.0

$4.13 ₹398

5.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$297

$4.75 ₹457

257.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.31

$1.49 ₹143

16.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.5

$2.78 ₹267

28.78%

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

$4.36 ₹419

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.77

$0.30 ₹29.21

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

$8.48 ₹816

120.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$0.80 ₹77.1

66.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

$1.43 ₹138

267.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$1.19 ₹115

12.61%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

$13.7K ₹1.3M

41.69%

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

$17.7K ₹1.7M

34.34%

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

$40.69 MX$712

$40.08 ₹3,859

1.52%

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

$26.87 MX$470

$3.44 ₹331

681.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$534

$5.68 ₹547

437.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

$4.53 ₹436

1065.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

$5.89 ₹567

352.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$2.87 ₹276

126.83%

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

$428 MX$7,485

$32.21 ₹3,101

1228.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

$1,919 ₹184.8K

447.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,001

$25.14 ₹2,420

127.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$796

$35.50 ₹3,418

28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,819

$46.95 ₹4,520

121.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,885

$42.64 ₹4,105

152.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$253 ₹24.4K

295.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$156 ₹15.0K

298.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.9K

$464 ₹44.7K

354.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$318 ₹30.6K

283.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$441 ₹42.5K

135.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.38

53.66%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shillong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $253 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $10.00 in Shillong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $93.0 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 229% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $443 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $253 in Shillong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shillong runs roughly 120% 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 $32.21 in Shillong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $443 in Shillong versus $1,456 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 229% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.