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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $332 in Shimla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $532 in Shimla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $732 in Shimla.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 343% more expensive than in Shimla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Shimla is 75% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$1.77 ₹169

642.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$5.84 ₹557

816.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$3.51 ₹335

165.81%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.00 ₹95.5

270.00%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.34 ₹32.46

370.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.16 ₹15.70

600.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.58 ₹151

98.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.35 ₹224

106.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$0.73 ₹70.0

126.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.45 ₹42.80

502.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.62 ₹59.1

208.06%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$0.92 ₹88.1

181.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$4.31 ₹411

127.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$3.59 ₹343

134.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.93 ₹184

52.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$0.69 ₹65.8

152.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$0.79 ₹75.8

158.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.56 ₹53.2

267.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.38 ₹36.01

465.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.43 ₹41.13

425.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.24 ₹22.92

479.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.37 ₹34.95

202.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$4.46 ₹426

-5.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$6.98 ₹665

150.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.78 ₹170

-3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.25 ₹215

61.33%

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

$5.68 ₹542

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.24 ₹22.99

45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$8.93 ₹852

116.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.83 ₹78.9

66.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$1.18 ₹113

347.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.18 ₹113

15.25%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$15.1K ₹1.4M

26.77%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$20.1K ₹1.9M

17.73%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$19.55 ₹1,864

107.31%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$3.54 ₹338

673.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$7.68 ₹733

295.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$14.43 ₹1,376

261.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$7.10 ₹677

272.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$3.46 ₹330

78.90%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$45.25 ₹4,315

839.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$2,380 ₹227.0K

351.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$33.95 ₹3,238

71.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$28.04 ₹2,675

58.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$47.40 ₹4,521

118.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$29.42 ₹2,806

269.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$96.7 ₹9,225

948.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$58.7 ₹5,594

961.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$225 ₹21.4K

843.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$138 ₹13.2K

784.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$980 ₹93.4K

287.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$525 ₹50.1K

301.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$554 ₹52.8K

90.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

8.25

37.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Shimla: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $96.7 in Shimla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 90% 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 $6.00 in Shimla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $103 per month, with Shimla 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 Shimla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Shimla differ by about 343% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $332 including rent). Shimla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 90% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $96.7 in Shimla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shimla runs roughly 116% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $45.25 in Shimla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $332 in Shimla versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shimla but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Shimla 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 Shimla 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 Shimla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 343% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.