Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Squamish, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Squamish, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,668 in Mexico City versus $2,622 in Squamish, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $3,923 in Squamish, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Mexico City versus $5,224 in Squamish, BC.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 36% less than in Squamish, BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 24% above, Squamish, BC 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$213

$14.81 CA$20.94

-18.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$934

$57.1 CA$80.7

-7.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$207

$10.41 CA$14.72

12.30%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$68.4

$3.99 CA$5.64

-3.01%

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

$1.75 MX$30.94

$1.85 CA$2.61

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$24.65

$1.55 CA$2.19

-10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$59.4

$5.71 CA$8.08

-41.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$102

$5.74 CA$8.12

0.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$31.92

$1.78 CA$2.52

1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$54.5

$2.21 CA$3.13

39.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.65

$3.64 CA$5.14

-41.48%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$52.6

$3.23 CA$4.56

-7.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$221

$12.36 CA$17.47

1.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$181

$15.08 CA$21.33

-32.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$281

$19.82 CA$28.02

-19.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$59.8

$5.63 CA$7.97

-39.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.24

$1.24 CA$1.76

70.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.59

$3.74 CA$5.29

-43.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$43.61

$3.56 CA$5.03

-30.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.03

$4.08 CA$5.76

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.59

$2.58 CA$3.65

-22.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.15

$2.55 CA$3.60

-37.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.50

$1.83 CA$2.59

-27.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$97.0

$15.85 CA$22.42

-65.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$310

$10.49 CA$14.83

67.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$35.61

$2.80 CA$3.96

-28.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.8

$3.61 CA$5.11

31.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.94

$1.46 CA$2.07

-76.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$373

$30.57 CA$43.23

-31.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.28

$3.66 CA$5.17

-43.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.75

$1.40 CA$1.97

-56.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$101

$25.13 CA$35.53

-77.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.09

$1.15 CA$1.63

38.26%

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

$22.9K MX$404.6K

$26.2K CA$37.1K

-12.69%

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

$26.4K MX$466.2K

$19.2K CA$27.2K

37.22%

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

$64.2 MX$1,135

$116 CA$165

-44.82%

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

$29.42 MX$520

$43.58 CA$61.6

-32.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$651

$65.0 CA$91.9

-43.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,038

$51.9 CA$73.3

13.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$123

$11.24 CA$15.89

-38.17%

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

$463 MX$8,180

$374 CA$528

23.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$236.2K

$7,823 CA$11.1K

70.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,333

$52.8 CA$74.6

42.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$958

$35.44 CA$50.1

52.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,965

$79.8 CA$113

39.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,160

$100 CA$142

21.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.0K

$1,625 CA$2,297

-30.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.3K

$1,492 CA$2,109

-53.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.2K

$3,206 CA$4,533

-23.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.0K

$2,862 CA$4,046

-54.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$69.1K

$5,912 CA$8,359

-33.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

$3,107 CA$4,394

-66.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.72

139.41%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Squamish, BC: September 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Mexico City and $1,625 in Squamish, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Squamish, BC pays 195% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $57.0 in Squamish, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $400 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 Squamish, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Squamish, BC differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,668 vs $2,622 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 195% lower in Squamish, BC. 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: $1,133 in Mexico City versus $1,625 in Squamish, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 45% less than in Squamish, BC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $463 in Mexico City versus $374 in Squamish, BC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,668 in Mexico City versus $2,622 in Squamish, BC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Squamish, BC. 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 57% less than in Squamish, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.