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: $1,466 in Mexico City versus $337 in Shimla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Mexico City versus $539 in Shimla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Mexico City versus $742 in Shimla.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 335% more expensive than Shimla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Shimla is 75% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$231

$1.78 ₹167

647.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$5.90 ₹554

811.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$3.56 ₹334

164.61%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$0.93 ₹87.2

286.02%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.31 ₹29.53

422.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.15 ₹14.11

646.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$1.62 ₹152

100.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

$2.30 ₹216

102.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.75 ₹70.7

118.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$0.44 ₹41.38

502.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.99

$0.64 ₹59.8

206.25%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.08

$0.86 ₹80.3

195.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

$4.36 ₹409

128.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

$3.70 ₹347

126.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

$1.97 ₹185

45.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.05

$0.70 ₹65.5

147.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

$0.82 ₹76.7

142.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.51

$0.56 ₹52.3

266.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.35 ₹32.54

488.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.54

$0.44 ₹41.34

418.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

$0.22 ₹20.63

559.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

$0.34 ₹31.54

220.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$4.46 ₹418

-4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

$5.26 ₹494

178.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

$1.69 ₹159

4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

$2.25 ₹211

58.67%

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

$5.91 ₹555

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

$0.22 ₹20.53

72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

$8.78 ₹824

113.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

$0.83 ₹77.8

67.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

$1.18 ₹110

358.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$1.19 ₹111

12.61%

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

$15.0K ₹1.4M

26.09%

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

$19.7K ₹1.8M

17.85%

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

$40.30 MX$698

$19.05 ₹1,788

111.55%

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

$27.15 MX$471

$3.45 ₹324

686.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$510

$7.69 ₹721

283.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

$14.60 ₹1,370

261.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

$7.20 ₹676

263.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

$3.44 ₹323

79.65%

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

$441 MX$7,637

$46.07 ₹4,324

856.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

$2,352 ₹220.8K

354.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$992

$33.31 ₹3,127

71.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$781

$28.80 ₹2,704

56.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$46.18 ₹4,334

124.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$29.10 ₹2,731

273.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

$94.6 ₹8,878

956.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

$58.3 ₹5,467

985.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

$223 ₹20.9K

861.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.7K

$138 ₹13.0K

807.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

$955 ₹89.6K

292.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

$515 ₹48.3K

362.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

$577 ₹54.1K

87.11%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Shimla: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $95 in Shimla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 87% 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 in Mexico City vs $6 in Shimla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $100 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 335% in total monthly costs ($1,466 vs $337 including rent). Shimla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 87% more on average, 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $94.6 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 113% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $441 in Mexico City versus $46.07 in Shimla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $337 in Shimla versus $1,466 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 335% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.