Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Swansea

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,608 a month against $2,196 in Swansea, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Swansea, United Kingdom
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Swansea
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,196
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Swansea

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Swansea actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $2,196 in Swansea.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Swansea $2,196

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $3,130 in Swansea.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Swansea $3,130

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $4,065 in Swansea.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Swansea $4,065

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 27% less than in Swansea, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 18% above, Swansea 61% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Swansea
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$200
$20.41 £15.25
-47.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$909
$63.1 £47.11
-23.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$194
$10.47 £7.82
-1.15%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$69.4
$4.76 £3.56
-22.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.32
$2.36 £1.76
-29.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.78
$1.26 £0.94
0.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$60.0
$5.89 £4.40
-45.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$99.7
$6.38 £4.77
-16.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Swansea
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.41
$1.34 £1.00
28.36%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$57.1
$2.05 £1.53
48.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.48
$2.06 £1.54
-5.83%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$54.3
$3.52 £2.63
-17.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$206
$7.78 £5.82
41.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$174
$8.33 £6.22
11.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$284
$12.87 £9.61
17.56%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$57.3
$2.32 £1.73
31.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.48
$1.24 £0.93
56.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.06
$2.87 £2.14
-29.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.50
$3.57 £2.67
-35.29%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$38.25
$2.25 £1.68
-9.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.83
$3.05 £2.28
-40.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.80
$1.27 £0.95
16.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.82
$2.29 £1.71
-44.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$99.7
$23.23 £17.35
-77.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$303
$10.63 £7.94
51.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$37.27
$2.33 £1.74
-15.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.9
$3.40 £2.54
25.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Swansea
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.73
$4.12 £3.08
-92.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$371
$97.1 £72.5
-79.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.53
$3.95 £2.95
-53.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$10.03
$2.68 £2.01
-80.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$99.5
$33.33 £24.90
-84.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.39
$1.95 £1.46
-22.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$408.8K
$38.9K £29.1K
-44.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$450.8K
$40.5K £30.2K
-40.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Swansea
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,184
$306 £229
-79.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$515
$14.81 £11.07
84.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$670
$43.20 £32.27
-17.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Swansea
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,108
$33.28 £24.87
77.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$444
$15.52 £11.60
52.32%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$120
$9.85 £7.36
-35.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Swansea
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,111
$1,777 £1,327
-75.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$214.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Swansea
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,282
$89.7 £67.0
-23.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$999
$48.22 £36.03
10.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,026
$122 £91.3
-11.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,204
$82.6 £61.7
42.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Swansea
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.9K
$1,112 £831
0.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.4K
$891 £666
-20.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.6K
$1,500 £1,120
72.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.4K
$1,337 £999
5.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$68.2K
$3,563 £2,662
1.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$40.1K
$2,615 £1,953
-18.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Swansea
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.8K
$3,263 £2,437
-71.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
6.04
87.91%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Swansea: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Swansea
$891 25.4% $181
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Swansea
$293 8.2% $26
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Swansea
$309 55.3% $110
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Swansea
$154 1.1% $1.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Swansea
$364 189% $238
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Swansea
$53 26.1% $19
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Swansea
$131 414% $105

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $1,112 in Swansea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Swansea pays about 3.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $48 in Mexico City vs $63 in Swansea. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $293, with Swansea cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇬🇧 Swansea
🕒 Local time
19:33 7:33 PM
01:33 1:33 AM
6 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
239,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Swansea 8,670 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Swansea

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Swansea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Swansea?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,608 in Mexico City and $2,196 in Swansea, so Mexico City is about 27% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 71% lower in Mexico City. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Swansea?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $1,112 in Swansea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in Swansea?
A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 80% less than in Swansea. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Swansea?
Childcare runs $432 in Mexico City versus $1,777 in Swansea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How far does $3,000 go in Mexico City compared to Swansea?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Mexico City gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Where should digital nomads live: Mexico City or Swansea?
Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value at $1,608 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.
How do I decide between Mexico City and Swansea?
It comes down to priorities – Mexico City wins on affordability, Swansea on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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