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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $984 in Shkoder.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,469 in Shkoder.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,954 in Shkoder.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 69% more expensive than in Shkoder, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Shkoder is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$9.68 ALL 765

23.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$38.84 ALL 3,069

32.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$6.43 ALL 508

77.45%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.06 ALL 163

93.69%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.91 ALL 151

-13.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.67 ALL 52.8

98.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.94 ALL 153

78.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.13 ALL 247

88.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$2.02 ALL 160

-6.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.02 ALL 80.3

218.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.08 ALL 164

3.85%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.77 ALL 219

4.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.26 ALL 573

77.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.98 ALL 393

101.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$10.88 ALL 860

45.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.60 ALL 127

105.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$2.37 ALL 187

-15.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.71 ALL 135

28.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.55 ALL 123

52.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.05 ALL 82.8

95.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.23 ALL 97.5

54.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.17 ALL 92.2

37.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.74 ALL 58.4

89.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.42 ALL 349

23.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$6.33 ALL 500

178.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.61 ALL 127

27.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.84 ALL 146

154.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.47 ALL 37.40

-27.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$11.72 ALL 926

77.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$3.76 ALL 297

-44.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$3.92 ALL 310

-85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$18.89 ALL 1,492

-69.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$2.12 ALL 168

-24.06%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$35.1K ALL 2.8M

-34.98%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$25.6K ALL 2.0M

4.47%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$61.8 ALL 4,880

5.52%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$16.54 ALL 1,307

81.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$17.42 ALL 1,376

113.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$44.51 ALL 3,517

34.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$12.64 ALL 999

110.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$7.51 ALL 593

-6.26%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$94.2 ALL 7,440

393.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$1,854 ALL 146.5K

616.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$49.75 ALL 3,930

52.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$12.51 ALL 988

347.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$75.9 ALL 5,993

47.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$149 ALL 11.8K

-19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$498 ALL 39.4K

121.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$313 ALL 24.7K

130.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$376 ALL 29.7K

571.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$370 ALL 29.3K

249.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,907 ALL 150.6K

109.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,263 ALL 99.8K

65.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$587 ALL 46.4K

76.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

126.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Shkoder: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $498 in Shkoder. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 77% 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 $39.00 in Shkoder for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $209 per month, with Shkoder 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 Shkoder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Shkoder differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $984 including rent). Shkoder is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 77% 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 $498 in Shkoder. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shkoder runs roughly 78% 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 $94.2 in Shkoder. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $984 in Shkoder versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shkoder but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Shkoder 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.

Expats usually find Shkoder gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.