😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $905 in Sihanoukville.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,386 in Sihanoukville.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,866 in Sihanoukville.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 64% more expensive than Sihanoukville, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Sihanoukville is 32% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98MX$227
$4.09៛16.4K
217.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.1MX$929
$27.48៛110.4K
93.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.72MX$170
$6.81៛27.3K
42.73%
Cappuccino
$3.75MX$65.6
$2.60៛10.4K
44.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57MX$27.46
$0.81៛3,245
93.83%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.76
$0.43៛1,743
162.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.18MX$55.7
$0.98៛3,933
224.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66MX$81.6
$2.03៛8,152
129.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62MX$28.37
$2.14៛8,613
-24.30%
White Bread(500g)
$2.71MX$47.36
$1.53៛6,162
77.12%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88MX$32.89
$0.92៛3,678
104.35%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.90
$1.82៛7,323
37.91%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.08MX$176
$12.94៛52.0K
-22.10%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$4.16៛16.7K
99.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.94MX$209
$8.96៛36.0K
33.26%
Apples(1kg)
$2.86MX$50.1
$3.46៛13.9K
-17.34%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75MX$30.62
$1.43៛5,730
22.38%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.48
$3.79៛15.2K
-45.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.97MX$34.46
$1.51៛6,066
30.46%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.79
$1.29៛5,201
67.44%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.16
$1.15៛4,603
89.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.39MX$24.34
$1.40៛5,605
-0.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.69
$0.68៛2,728
64.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20MX$73.5
$1.53៛6,164
174.51%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.25MX$249
$10.89៛43.7K
30.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.85
$0.91៛3,654
93.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68MX$64.5
$1.65៛6,613
123.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39MX$6.74
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.66MX$327
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.39MX$24.26
$1.06៛4,271
31.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30MX$5.32
$0.99៛3,968
-69.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.42MX$94.9
$4.63៛18.6K
17.06%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35MX$23.63
$1.17៛4,701
15.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9KMX$330.5K
$48.6K៛195.3M
-61.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KMX$405.2K
$36.7K៛147.2M
-36.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.82MX$714
$108៛432.5K
-62.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.50MX$481
$6.17៛24.8K
345.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38MX$532
$18.43៛74.0K
64.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4MX$935
$73.2៛294.0K
-26.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.30MX$460
$9.95៛40.0K
164.32%
Cinema Ticket
$6.27MX$110
$4.38៛17.6K
43.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,632
$335៛1.3M
30.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5KMX$183.2K
$5,066៛20.3M
106.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8MX$993
$21.92៛88.0K
158.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.79MX$784
$20.15៛81.0K
122.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,799
$88.5៛355.3K
16.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108MX$1,888
$19.80៛79.5K
444.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,000MX$17.5K
$402៛1.6M
148.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$620MX$10.9K
$302៛1.2M
105.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,137MX$37.4K
$643៛2.6M
232.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,235MX$21.6K
$505៛2.0M
144.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,865MX$67.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332MX$40.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Sihanoukville
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,067MX$18.7K
-
-
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Sihanoukville: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $402 in Sihanoukville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $27.00 in Sihanoukville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $232 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 64% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $905 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 $2,225 in Mexico City and $1,358 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $402 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 $436 in Mexico City versus $335 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 $27.00 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 $905 in Sihanoukville versus $1,484 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 64% 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