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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $624 in Tema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $995 in Tema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,365 in Tema.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 133% more expensive than in Tema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Tema is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$7.19 GHS 83.0

81.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$27.76 GHS 321

93.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$7.82 GHS 90.3

23.79%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.46 GHS 16.84

156.16%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$1.04 GHS 12.05

55.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.31 GHS 3.57

274.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.74 GHS 20.04

85.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.67 GHS 30.81

77.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$3.05 GHS 35.25

-45.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.62 GHS 18.66

69.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.56 GHS 18.06

19.87%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.19 GHS 25.24

14.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$3.66 GHS 42.30

178.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$2.64 GHS 30.46

212.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$2.41 GHS 27.83

390.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.83 GHS 32.68

6.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$2.02 GHS 23.38

-10.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$2.09 GHS 24.13

-4.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$2.86 GHS 32.98

-30.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.82 GHS 20.99

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.99 GHS 22.93

14.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.64 GHS 7.39

128.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.88 GHS 10.13

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$7.04 GHS 81.3

141.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$0.88 GHS 10.11

96.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$2.10 GHS 24.28

-81.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$40.03 GHS 462

-53.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$1.36 GHS 15.76

-2.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.76 GHS 8.76

-63.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.20 GHS 13.81

11.67%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$40.69 MX$714

$31.32 GHS 362

29.92%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$12.42 GHS 143

116.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$64.6 GHS 746

-52.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$19.29 GHS 223

173.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

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

$428 MX$7,508

$83.0 GHS 958

415.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$24.46 GHS 282

134.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$24.21 GHS 280

87.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$45.56 GHS 526

128.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$61.8 GHS 714

74.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$118 GHS 1,364

749.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$65.8 GHS 760

845.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$136 GHS 1,575

793.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$9,960 GHS 115.0K

-61.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$6,047 GHS 69.8K

-66.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$414 GHS 4,777

150.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

32.5

-65.11%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tema: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $118 in Tema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 151% 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 $28.00 in Tema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $183 per month, with Tema 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 Tema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tema differ by about 133% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $624 including rent). Tema is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 151% 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 $118 in Tema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tema runs roughly 114% 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 $83.0 in Tema. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $624 in Tema versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tema but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tema 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.

Expats usually find Tema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.