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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $913 in Surat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $951 in Surat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $989 in Surat.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 60% more expensive than in Surat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Surat is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.57 ₹344

266.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$940

$11.68 ₹1,125

360.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$3.41 ₹329

183.87%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.4

$1.70 ₹164

120.00%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$0.42 ₹40.54

285.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.31

$0.17 ₹16.79

582.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.4

$3.29 ₹317

-1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.9

$4.13 ₹397

14.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.80

$0.74 ₹71.5

122.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.15

$0.53 ₹50.9

418.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.77

$0.67 ₹65.0

179.10%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.72

$0.99 ₹95.1

152.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$5.14 ₹495

98.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.23 ₹311

155.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

$1.50 ₹144

100.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

$0.65 ₹62.6

178.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.96

$0.96 ₹92.7

108.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.89

$0.67 ₹64.7

198.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$0.36 ₹34.27

477.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

$0.40 ₹38.42

467.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.47

$0.55 ₹52.9

165.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.82

$0.34 ₹32.88

217.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.0

$3.89 ₹374

11.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$297

$7.72 ₹743

120.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.31

$2.68 ₹258

-35.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.5

$4.08 ₹393

-12.25%

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

$8.53 ₹821

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.77

$0.22 ₹21.11

77.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

$5.97 ₹574

213.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$0.95 ₹91.4

40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

$1.15 ₹111

356.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$1.19 ₹114

12.61%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

$11.7K ₹1.1M

66.28%

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

$21.6K ₹2.1M

10.10%

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

$40.69 MX$712

$37.81 ₹3,641

7.62%

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

$26.87 MX$470

$3.36 ₹323

699.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$534

$7.79 ₹750

291.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

$17.98 ₹1,731

193.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

$6.72 ₹647

296.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$2.87 ₹276

126.83%

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

$428 MX$7,485

$48.12 ₹4,633

789.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

$1,299 ₹125.1K

708.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,001

$23.93 ₹2,304

139.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$796

$24.85 ₹2,393

83.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,819

$42.24 ₹4,067

146.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,885

$42.05 ₹4,049

156.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$243 ₹23.4K

312.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$556 ₹53.6K

11.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.9K

$495 ₹47.7K

325.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$278 ₹26.8K

338.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

$697 ₹67.1K

457.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

$307 ₹29.6K

561.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$323 ₹31.1K

221.50%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Surat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $243 in Surat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 221% 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 $12.00 in Surat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $115 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 60% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $913 including rent). Surat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 221% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $243 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 213% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $48.12 in Surat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $913 in Surat versus $1,456 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 60% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.