Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Simpson Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Simpson Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $3,927 in Simpson Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $6,485 in Simpson Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $9,042 in Simpson Bay.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 58% less than in Simpson Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 20% above, Simpson Bay 186% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$18.94 ANG 33.81

-36.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$130 ANG 232

-59.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$13.03 ANG 23.26

-16.35%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$4.44 ANG 7.92

-8.78%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$3.03 ANG 5.40

-43.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$2.92 ANG 5.22

-52.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$5.60 ANG 10.00

-38.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$3.93 ANG 7.01

47.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$4.06 ANG 7.25

-54.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$2.82 ANG 5.03

14.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$3.04 ANG 5.42

-31.25%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$4.44 ANG 7.93

-34.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$24.67 ANG 44.04

-49.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$13.58 ANG 24.25

-25.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$16.97 ANG 30.30

-6.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$4.28 ANG 7.64

-22.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$3.56 ANG 6.35

-40.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$6.62 ANG 11.81

-66.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$5.04 ANG 8.99

-51.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$4.03 ANG 7.20

-45.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$3.47 ANG 6.19

-45.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$3.05 ANG 5.45

-46.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$1.40 ANG 2.51

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$15.27 ANG 27.26

15.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$1.71 ANG 3.05

177.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$3.05 ANG 5.45

-88.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$14.81 ANG 26.44

-86.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.32 ANG 2.36

22.73%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$505 ANG 902

-87.08%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$34.81 ANG 62.1

-14.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$88.2 ANG 157

-58.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$73.7 ANG 131

-17.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$8.23 ANG 14.69

-16.77%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$753 ANG 1,345

-39.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$12.0K ANG 21.5K

11.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$50.2 ANG 89.6

49.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$39.86 ANG 71.1

38.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$100 ANG 179

13.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$59.4 ANG 106

106.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$2,297 ANG 4,101

-50.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$2,280 ANG 4,070

-68.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$5,893 ANG 10.5K

-56.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$5,742 ANG 10.2K

-77.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Simpson Bay: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $2,297 in Simpson Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $130 in Simpson Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $468 per month, with Mexico City 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 Simpson Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Simpson Bay differ by about 139% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $3,927 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,469 in Mexico City and $5,891 in Simpson Bay 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $2,297 in Simpson Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $753 in Simpson Bay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $130 in Simpson Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $3,927 in Simpson Bay, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Simpson Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Simpson Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.