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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $912 in Sihanoukville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,360 in Sihanoukville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,807 in Sihanoukville.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 59% more expensive than Sihanoukville, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Sihanoukville is 32% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98 MX$223
$3.97 ៛15.9K
226.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.6 MX$903
$27.57 ៛110.6K
90.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.43 MX$162
$6.80 ៛27.3K
38.68%
Cappuccino
$3.57 MX$61.3
$2.60 ៛10.4K
37.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$27.55
$0.85 ៛3,426
89.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 MX$19.81
$0.43 ៛1,726
167.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$54.0
$1.03 ៛4,128
205.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.86 MX$83.4
$2.02 ៛8,097
140.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$29.17
$2.08 ៛8,362
-18.27%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 MX$45.23
$1.52 ៛6,115
73.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 MX$32.67
$0.88 ៛3,543
115.91%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$43.62
$1.76 ៛7,051
44.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.08 MX$173
$13.07 ៛52.4K
-22.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$142
$4.09 ៛16.4K
102.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.57 MX$199
$9.16 ៛36.8K
26.31%
Apples (1kg)
$3.03 MX$52.0
$3.59 ៛14.4K
-15.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.35
$1.43 ៛5,735
19.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.05 MX$35.16
$3.79 ៛15.2K
-45.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$35.36
$1.45 ៛5,805
42.07%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$35.43
$1.30 ៛5,225
58.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.25
$1.16 ៛4,640
87.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 MX$24.08
$1.40 ៛5,616
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12 MX$19.26
$0.67 ៛2,670
67.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 MX$73.7
$1.48 ៛5,925
189.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.41 MX$265
$11.15 ៛44.7K
38.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$28.74
$0.98 ៛3,919
70.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 MX$63.3
$1.62 ៛6,489
127.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 MX$6.55
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.06 MX$327
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.38 MX$23.70
$1.04 ៛4,154
32.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 MX$4.74
$1.02 ៛4,102
-72.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.42 MX$92.9
$4.38 ៛17.6K
23.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 MX$21.98
$1.16 ៛4,672
10.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.0K MX$325.8K
$49.3K ៛197.6M
-61.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$402.7K
$37.5K ៛150.4M
-37.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$41.02 MX$704
$104 ៛417.5K
-60.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.92 MX$462
$6.20 ៛24.9K
334.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.69 MX$510
$18.44 ៛74.0K
61.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 MX$898
$72.5 ៛290.9K
-27.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.23 MX$450
$9.90 ៛39.7K
164.95%
Cinema Ticket
$6.18 MX$106
$4.47 ៛18.0K
38.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,331
$330 ៛1.3M
29.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K MX$183.6K
$5,027 ៛20.2M
112.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8 MX$975
$21.81 ៛87.5K
160.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.83 MX$769
$20.15 ៛80.9K
122.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 MX$1,794
$89.6 ៛359.4K
16.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 MX$1,819
$19.67 ៛78.9K
438.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$17.1K
$406 ៛1.6M
144.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$621 MX$10.7K
$304 ៛1.2M
104.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,126 MX$36.5K
$648 ៛2.6M
227.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,254 MX$21.5K
$503 ៛2.0M
149.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,903 MX$67.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,096 MX$36.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,107 MX$19.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.34
10.3
10.10%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sihanoukville: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $406 in Sihanoukville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $28.00 in Sihanoukville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $233 per month, with Sihanoukville 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 Sihanoukville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Sihanoukville?
Mexico City and Sihanoukville differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $912 including rent). Sihanoukville is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Sihanoukville?
You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,368 in Sihanoukville to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Sihanoukville?
Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $406 in Sihanoukville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Sihanoukville?
Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $330 in Sihanoukville. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Sihanoukville – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $912 in Sihanoukville versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sihanoukville but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sihanoukville the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Sihanoukville?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Sihanoukville?
Expats usually find Sihanoukville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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