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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $810 in Surat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $850 in Surat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $890 in Surat.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 107% more expensive than in Surat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Surat is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$3.14 ₹300

286.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$10.65 ₹1,018

406.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$3.24 ₹310

242.28%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.82 ₹174

125.27%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.35 ₹33.40

380.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.15 ₹14.72

826.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.99 ₹286

11.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$3.12 ₹298

88.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$0.70 ₹67.1

164.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.48 ₹45.51

560.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$0.66 ₹62.7

213.64%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$0.91 ₹87.1

221.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$4.66 ₹445

170.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$2.87 ₹274

252.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.74 ₹166

94.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$0.63 ₹60.0

230.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$0.79 ₹75.3

168.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.58 ₹55.0

315.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.36 ₹34.33

491.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.44 ₹41.64

356.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.49 ₹46.89

216.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.30 ₹28.57

353.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$5.15 ₹492

12.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$7.52 ₹718

135.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.84 ₹176

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$3.16 ₹302

45.89%

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

$6.10 ₹583

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.25 ₹23.93

48.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$5.43 ₹518

290.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.51 ₹48.79

301.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.20 ₹19.10

190.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$1.08 ₹103

462.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.12 ₹107

38.39%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$12.0K ₹1.1M

90.96%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$18.9K ₹1.8M

43.93%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$37.30 ₹3,564

80.72%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$3.69 ₹353

729.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$7.26 ₹694

412.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$18.83 ₹1,799

226.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$5.23 ₹499

418.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$2.98 ₹285

138.59%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$33.20 ₹3,172

1274.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$902 ₹86.2K

1418.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$22.84 ₹2,182

224.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$25.27 ₹2,414

125.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$40.92 ₹3,910

182.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$32.45 ₹3,100

274.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$225 ₹21.5K

410.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$511 ₹48.8K

38.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$385 ₹36.8K

569.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$202 ₹19.3K

539.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$670 ₹64.0K

498.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$311 ₹29.7K

585.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$314 ₹30.0K

244.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

9.17

23.23%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Surat: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $225 in Surat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 245% 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 $345 vs $103 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 107% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $810 including rent). Surat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 245% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $225 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 290% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $33.20 in Surat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $810 in Surat versus $1,677 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 107% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.