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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $3,648 in Simpson Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $6,397 in Simpson Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $9,145 in Simpson Bay.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 60% less than in Simpson Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Simpson Bay 173% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$21.83 ANG 38.97

-40.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$139 ANG 248

-61.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.91 ANG 5.20

28.52%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$2.95 ANG 5.26

-45.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$3.04 ANG 5.43

-61.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$5.41 ANG 9.66

-40.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$4.12 ANG 7.35

15.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$4.62 ANG 8.25

-64.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$2.46 ANG 4.39

11.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$2.48 ANG 4.43

-24.60%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$4.13 ANG 7.37

-39.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$18.38 ANG 32.81

-44.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$13.97 ANG 24.93

-40.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$15.56 ANG 27.78

-24.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$3.69 ANG 6.58

-18.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$2.91 ANG 5.19

-37.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$5.21 ANG 9.30

-61.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$3.98 ANG 7.10

-49.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$2.99 ANG 5.33

-30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$2.06 ANG 3.67

10.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$2.95 ANG 5.27

-50.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.45 ANG 2.59

-25.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$15.13 ANG 27.01

12.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$0.98 ANG 1.75

76.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.52 ANG 2.72

135.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$2.16 ANG 3.86

-81.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$9.86 ANG 17.60

-86.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.41 ANG 2.51

-4.96%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$40.69 MX$714

$507 ANG 905

-91.98%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$35.34 ANG 63.1

-23.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$89.2 ANG 159

-65.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$8.61 ANG 15.36

-24.39%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$1,009 ANG 1,801

-57.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$12.0K ANG 21.4K

-12.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$78.9 ANG 141

31.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$2,295 ANG 4,097

-56.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$2,288 ANG 4,084

-72.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$6,494 ANG 11.6K

-67.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$5,963 ANG 10.6K

-79.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Simpson Bay: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $2,295 in Simpson Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $139 in Simpson Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $426 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 151% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $3,648 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,185 in Mexico City and $5,473 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $2,295 in Simpson Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $1,009 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 $54.0 versus $139 in Simpson Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $3,648 in Simpson Bay, a $2,000 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 151% less than in Simpson Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.