😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $933 in Sihanoukville.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,395 in Sihanoukville.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,856 in Sihanoukville.
🌍Living in Mexico City is roughly 78% more expensive than in Sihanoukville, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Sihanoukville is 32% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.92MX$206
$4.12៛16.7K
189.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.6MX$890
$30.27៛122.5K
70.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.41MX$197
$6.83៛27.7K
67.06%
Cappuccino
$3.99MX$68.9
$2.27៛9,194
75.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66MX$28.61
$0.75៛3,025
121.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33MX$22.87
$0.46៛1,846
189.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.47MX$59.9
$1.03៛4,152
236.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.90MX$102
$2.03៛8,203
190.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.88MX$32.36
$2.10៛8,491
-10.48%
White Bread(500g)
$3.25MX$56.1
$1.59៛6,426
104.40%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.26
$0.86៛3,495
151.16%
Eggs
$2.90MX$49.94
$1.74៛7,034
66.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.86MX$222
$13.63៛55.2K
-5.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.05MX$173
$4.20៛17.0K
139.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.86MX$273
$9.09៛36.8K
74.48%
Apples(1kg)
$3.29MX$56.8
$3.55៛14.4K
-7.32%
Banana(1kg)
$2.01MX$34.60
$1.39៛5,612
44.60%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.20MX$37.93
$4.27៛17.3K
-48.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.36MX$40.63
$1.54៛6,251
53.25%
Potato(1kg)
$2.05MX$35.43
$1.35៛5,467
51.85%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.79
$1.19៛4,807
59.66%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.61MX$27.68
$1.15៛4,638
40.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.40MX$24.09
$0.77៛3,107
81.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.46MX$94.2
$1.47៛5,943
271.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.65MX$304
$11.09៛44.9K
59.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06MX$35.44
$0.92៛3,708
123.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.68MX$80.8
$1.71៛6,941
173.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.34MX$5.84
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$20.81MX$359
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.10MX$36.15
$1.10៛4,438
90.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.56MX$9.64
$1.01៛4,094
-44.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.81MX$100
$5.14៛20.8K
13.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.61MX$27.68
$1.29៛5,214
24.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8KMX$393.8K
$34.9K៛141.2M
-34.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KMX$461.2K
$44.9K៛181.9M
-40.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$65.2MX$1,124
$108៛437.4K
-39.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.09MX$519
$6.20៛25.1K
385.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.18MX$641
$18.78៛76.0K
97.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$59.8MX$1,030
$72.9៛294.9K
-17.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.55MX$458
$10.10៛40.9K
162.87%
Cinema Ticket
$7.04MX$121
$5.06៛20.5K
39.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$465MX$8,012
$330៛1.3M
40.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.3KMX$228.9K
$5,020៛20.3M
164.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.9MX$1,308
$28.26៛114.4K
168.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.0MX$965
$19.75៛80.0K
183.29%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$112MX$1,929
$91.2៛369.3K
22.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121MX$2,078
$20.27៛82.1K
494.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,103MX$19.0K
$394៛1.6M
180.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$721MX$12.4K
$305៛1.2M
136.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,530MX$43.6K
$640៛2.6M
295.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,293MX$22.3K
$500៛2.0M
158.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,991MX$68.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,090MX$36.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,037MX$17.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.3
8.07
40.02%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026
Last update for Sihanoukville: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $394 in Sihanoukville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $30.00 in Sihanoukville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $238 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 in Sihanoukville?
Mexico City and Sihanoukville differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $933 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 $2,489 in Mexico City and $1,400 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 in Sihanoukville?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $394 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 $465 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 $30.00 versus $52.0 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 $933 in Sihanoukville versus $1,660 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 78% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared