Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Spanish Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Spanish Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $838 in Spanish Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,404 in Spanish Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,970 in Spanish Town.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 73% more expensive than Spanish Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Spanish Town is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$7.30 JMD 1,149

77.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$61.6 JMD 9,679

-14.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$8.52 JMD 1,340

10.68%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$4.44 JMD 699

-19.59%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.33 JMD 208

21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.76 JMD 120

51.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.57 JMD 404

22.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.18 JMD 500

52.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.90 JMD 299

-10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.58 JMD 405

2.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.42 JMD 66.3

352.38%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.22 JMD 507

-21.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$3.14 JMD 494

221.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$1.98 JMD 311

318.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$2.80 JMD 440

313.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.21 JMD 347

37.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.85 JMD 291

-7.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.60 JMD 252

28.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.83 JMD 287

12.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.11 JMD 332

-2.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.93 JMD 304

12.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$2.97 JMD 468

-52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.92 JMD 144

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$8.76 JMD 1,377

-51.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$11.40 JMD 1,793

35.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.55 JMD 243

7.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.47 JMD 389

49.39%

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

$1.13 JMD 178

22.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$3.24 JMD 509

-91.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$6.33 JMD 995

-14.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.28 JMD 201

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$42.2K JMD 6.6M

-55.07%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

-31.10%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$162 JMD 25.5K

-74.67%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$21.92 JMD 3,448

22.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$50.8 JMD 7,982

-41.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$13.21 JMD 2,078

-53.22%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$226 JMD 35.6K

88.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$2,483 JMD 390.4K

330.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$26.33 JMD 4,141

115.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$25.43 JMD 4,000

76.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$72.4 JMD 11.4K

44.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

37.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$156 JMD 24.5K

539.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$123 JMD 19.4K

403.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$616 JMD 97.0K

244.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$376 JMD 59.1K

233.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,160 JMD 182.5K

-4.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.15

23.93%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Spanish Town: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $156 in Spanish Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Spanish Town pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $62.0 in Spanish Town. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $193, with Spanish Town cheaper for home cooking.

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 Spanish Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Spanish Town differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $838 including rent). Spanish Town is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Spanish Town earns 5% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $156 in Spanish Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $226 in Spanish Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Spanish Town – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $838 in Spanish Town versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Spanish Town but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Spanish Town 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 Spanish Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.