Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,142 in Sur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,655 in Sur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,168 in Sur.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 47% more expensive than in Sur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Sur is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$205

$3.81 OMR 1.47

218.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$910

$25.90 OMR 9.97

108.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$187

$7.83 OMR 3.01

41.63%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.2

$4.97 OMR 1.91

-17.51%

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

$1.68 MX$28.40

$0.75 OMR 0.29

124.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.44

$0.27 OMR 0.10

414.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.2

$12.88 OMR 4.96

-74.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.3

$13.09 OMR 5.04

-55.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.26

$1.60 OMR 0.61

15.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.5

$1.29 OMR 0.50

145.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.70 OMR 0.66

21.76%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.44

$2.00 OMR 0.77

46.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$213

$7.68 OMR 2.96

63.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$6.63 OMR 2.55

52.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$272

$9.19 OMR 3.54

75.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.2

$2.31 OMR 0.89

46.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.09

$1.27 OMR 0.49

63.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.80

$1.06 OMR 0.41

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.76

$0.74 OMR 0.29

225.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$0.80 OMR 0.31

166.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$33.86

$0.51 OMR 0.19

294.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.09

$1.52 OMR 0.58

1.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.04

$0.50 OMR 0.19

172.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.4

$6.30 OMR 2.43

-8.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$300

$15.73 OMR 6.06

12.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

$5.66 OMR 2.18

-63.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$77.9

$8.73 OMR 3.36

-47.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.18

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.68

$3.19 OMR 1.23

-35.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.74

$2.66 OMR 1.02

-78.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$8.01 OMR 3.08

-24.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$0.58 OMR 0.22

167.24%

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

$22.9K MX$386.2K

$25.3K OMR 9,753

-9.70%

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

$27.2K MX$459.8K

$22.6K OMR 8,693

20.62%

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

$67.4 MX$1,138

$78.9 OMR 30.39

-14.61%

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

$30.62 MX$517

$23.85 OMR 9.18

28.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$629

$70.3 OMR 27.06

-47.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,038

$86.5 OMR 33.30

-28.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$120

$10.25 OMR 3.94

-30.63%

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

$456 MX$7,703

$292 OMR 112

56.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$231.2K

$6,501 OMR 2,503

110.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,253

$55.5 OMR 21.38

33.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$963

$42.74 OMR 16.46

33.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,949

$91.0 OMR 35.05

26.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,052

$94.9 OMR 36.54

28.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.4K

$262 OMR 101

337.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$268 OMR 103

164.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.5K

$475 OMR 183

442.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$21.9K

$387 OMR 149

234.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.6K

$568 OMR 219

605.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.0K

$520 OMR 200

309.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.3K

$2,671 OMR 1,028

-59.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.25

115.24%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sur: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $262 in Sur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sur pays 147% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $26.00 in Sur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $247 per month, with Sur 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 Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sur differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $1,142 including rent). Sur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 147% lower in Sur. 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $262 in Sur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $292 in Sur. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sur – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,142 in Sur versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sur but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sur 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Sur are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.