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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $549 in Shiraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $870 in Shiraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,191 in Shiraz.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 168% more expensive than in Shiraz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Shiraz is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$228

$5.82 $5.82

125.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$927

$13.94 $13.94

284.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$162

$3.54 $3.54

163.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 $0.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.1

$0.97 $0.97

281.44%

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

$1.60 MX$27.80

$1.52 $1.52

5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.37

$1.20 $1.20

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.65

$0.68 $0.68

142.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.02

$0.51 $0.51

431.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.57 $1.57

21.66%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.87

$1.15 $1.15

125.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$2.96 $2.96

231.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$3.74 $3.74

125.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$207

$10.00 $10.00

19.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.2

$0.87 $0.87

239.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.15

$1.70 $1.70

2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.43

$0.98 $0.98

108.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.69

$0.56 $0.56

267.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.25

$0.48 $0.48

347.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.08

$0.48 $0.48

370.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.01

$0.69 $0.69

101.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.26 $0.26

330.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.03 $1.03

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 $0.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.1

$2.33 $2.33

81.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.62

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.11

$0.19 $0.19

84.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$335

$2.29 $2.29

743.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.29 $0.29

375.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.20 $0.20

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.4

$1.72 $1.72

206.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.53

$0.74 $0.74

83.78%

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

$19.1K MX$331.0K

$73.8K $73.8K

-74.13%

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

$23.6K MX$409.0K

$78.8K $78.8K

-70.03%

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

$40.53 MX$702

$36.51 $36.51

11.01%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$2.03 $2.03

1248.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$19.07 $19.07

59.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$905

$15.87 $15.87

229.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$459

$15.46 $15.46

71.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$2.05 $2.05

201.95%

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

$425 MX$7,365

$156 $156

172.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.0K

$2,139 $2,139

401.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,010

$24.06 $24.06

142.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$772

$20.75 $20.75

114.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$73.5 $73.5

40.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$40.75 $40.75

166.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.6K

$285 $285

255.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$202 $202

208.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$475 $475

346.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$398 $398

207.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.7K

$1,129 $1,129

235.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.6K

$536 $536

293.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$231 $231

354.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

22.24

-49.01%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Shiraz: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $285 in Shiraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 355% 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 $14.00 in Shiraz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $110 per month, with Shiraz 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 Shiraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Shiraz differ by about 168% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $549 including rent). Shiraz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 355% 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 $285 in Shiraz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shiraz runs roughly 744% 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 $156 in Shiraz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $549 in Shiraz versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shiraz but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Shiraz 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 Shiraz 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 Shiraz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 168% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.