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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $888 in Surat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $942 in Surat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $996 in Surat.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 65% more expensive than Surat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Surat is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.58 ₹343

268.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$11.41 ₹1,092

372.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$3.42 ₹328

175.44%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$1.74 ₹166

104.02%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.40 ₹38.00

305.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.20 ₹19.53

455.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$3.13 ₹299

-0.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$3.95 ₹378

17.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$0.73 ₹69.9

132.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$0.53 ₹50.6

413.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$0.67 ₹64.6

185.07%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.03 ₹98.5

146.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$5.13 ₹491

95.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$3.11 ₹297

160.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$1.43 ₹137

107.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$0.64 ₹61.3

182.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$0.95 ₹91.2

111.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$0.61 ₹58.3

232.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$0.36 ₹34.37

488.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$0.44 ₹41.89

415.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.60 ₹57.1

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.35 ₹33.07

222.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$3.86 ₹370

10.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$7.56 ₹723

105.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$2.57 ₹246

-31.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$4.01 ₹384

-10.22%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$8.42 ₹806

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.24 ₹22.97

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$5.65 ₹540

239.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.97 ₹93.2

42.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$1.18 ₹113

361.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.13 ₹108

15.04%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$11.6K ₹1.1M

61.23%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$21.5K ₹2.1M

7.77%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$38.31 ₹3,666

6.66%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$3.37 ₹323

695.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$7.72 ₹739

288.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$17.76 ₹1,699

192.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$6.74 ₹645

298.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$2.90 ₹277

117.24%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$48.91 ₹4,681

791.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$1,294 ₹123.8K

705.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$24.00 ₹2,297

136.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$24.62 ₹2,356

80.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$42.46 ₹4,064

142.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$42.48 ₹4,065

148.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$241 ₹23.1K

323.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$557 ₹53.3K

13.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$506 ₹48.4K

322.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$275 ₹26.3K

352.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$693 ₹66.4K

462.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$306 ₹29.3K

574.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$327 ₹31.3K

240.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.2

23.26%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Surat: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $241 in Surat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 241% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Surat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $113 per month, with Surat 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 Surat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Surat differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $888 including rent). Surat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 241% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $241 in Surat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Surat runs roughly 239% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $48.91 in Surat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $888 in Surat versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Surat but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Surat 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 Surat 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 Surat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.