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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $307 in Shimla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $509 in Shimla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $711 in Shimla.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 440% more expensive than in Shimla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Shimla is 78% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$1.55 ₹149

669.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$5.28 ₹506

877.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.11 ₹298

266.88%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$0.88 ₹84.7

353.41%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.38 ₹36.73

336.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.10 ₹9.30

1230.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.56 ₹150

122.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.14 ₹205

175.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$0.63 ₹60.4

198.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.37 ₹35.50

778.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.59 ₹56.4

266.10%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$0.84 ₹80.6

245.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$4.13 ₹396

211.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.22 ₹309

212.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.78 ₹171

84.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$0.74 ₹71.5

171.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$0.68 ₹65.0

223.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.45 ₹43.04

424.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.30 ₹28.86

583.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.33 ₹32.03

475.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.20 ₹19.14

705.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.27 ₹25.68

418.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$3.38 ₹325

61.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.29 ₹795

112.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.53 ₹147

34.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.09 ₹201

123.92%

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

$3.79 ₹364

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.22 ₹21.11

54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$7.98 ₹766

160.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.03 ₹98.6

103.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.30 ₹28.67

86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.02 ₹97.4

469.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.04 ₹99.9

54.81%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$8,478 ₹813.4K

169.42%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$17.9K ₹1.7M

49.40%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$18.06 ₹1,733

260.91%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$3.05 ₹292

886.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$6.63 ₹636

460.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$13.95 ₹1,339

328.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$10.41 ₹999

155.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$3.21 ₹308

119.31%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$40.67 ₹3,902

1042.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$2,112 ₹202.6K

528.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$25.35 ₹2,432

199.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$21.99 ₹2,110

154.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$38.43 ₹3,687

191.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$26.27 ₹2,520

358.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$85.7 ₹8,221

1186.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$52.2 ₹5,007

1281.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$202 ₹19.3K

1154.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$170 ₹16.3K

662.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$980 ₹94.0K

307.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$496 ₹47.6K

321.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$622 ₹59.7K

66.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

8.25

36.97%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Shimla: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $85.7 in Shimla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 67% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $5.00 in Shimla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $97.0 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 440% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $307 including rent). Shimla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 67% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $85.7 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 161% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $40.67 in Shimla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $307 in Shimla versus $1,660 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 440% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.