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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $336 in Shimla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $540 in Shimla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $744 in Shimla.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 331% more expensive than Shimla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Shimla is 75% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$1.69 ₹161

668.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$5.85 ₹556

799.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.44 ₹327

174.13%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$0.95 ₹90.8

275.79%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.31 ₹29.95

419.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.17 ₹15.75

576.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.59 ₹151

98.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.35 ₹224

106.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.70 ₹66.1

142.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.41 ₹39.39

543.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.68 ₹64.4

179.41%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$0.93 ₹88.5

173.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$4.38 ₹417

130.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.70 ₹352

124.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.98 ₹188

53.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$0.75 ₹71.7

128.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.76 ₹72.8

169.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.56 ₹52.9

267.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.37 ₹35.35

456.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.44 ₹41.53

393.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.22 ₹20.81

536.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.34 ₹32.12

229.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.45 ₹423

-3.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$6.73 ₹640

128.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.75 ₹166

-4.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.32 ₹221

59.05%

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

$5.86 ₹558

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.24 ₹22.89

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$8.93 ₹849

113.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.79 ₹75.2

74.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$1.19 ₹113

355.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.19 ₹113

7.56%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$15.0K ₹1.4M

26.29%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$19.7K ₹1.9M

19.18%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$19.70 ₹1,874

108.22%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$3.54 ₹337

660.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$7.79 ₹740

281.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$14.61 ₹1,389

258.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$7.04 ₹669

272.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.45 ₹328

79.13%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$46.45 ₹4,418

819.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$2,348 ₹223.3K

355.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$34.14 ₹3,247

66.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$28.64 ₹2,723

56.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$47.27 ₹4,496

121.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$29.50 ₹2,805

259.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$93.2 ₹8,865

967.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$57.5 ₹5,464

981.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$225 ₹21.4K

846.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$139 ₹13.2K

801.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$958 ₹91.1K

307.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$522 ₹49.7K

301.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$546 ₹51.9K

102.87%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Shimla: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $93.2 in Shimla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 103% 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 $6.00 in Shimla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 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 331% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $336 including rent). Shimla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 103% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $93.2 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 $427 in Mexico City versus $46.45 in Shimla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $336 in Shimla versus $1,447 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 331% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.