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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $773 in Tema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,223 in Tema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,673 in Tema.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 113% more expensive than in Tema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Tema is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$7.17 GHS 81.0

68.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$28.28 GHS 320

84.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$5.21 GHS 58.9

-22.26%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$0.92 GHS 10.34

86.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.31 GHS 3.52

345.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$3.42 GHS 38.62

1.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$2.72 GHS 30.68

113.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$3.40 GHS 38.44

-45.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$1.65 GHS 18.69

95.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$2.12 GHS 23.99

-1.42%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$2.44 GHS 27.57

19.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$4.52 GHS 51.1

176.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$3.31 GHS 37.35

205.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$3.49 GHS 39.39

355.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.60 GHS 29.38

27.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$2.25 GHS 25.42

-5.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$2.24 GHS 25.26

-2.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$3.59 GHS 40.57

-31.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$3.62 GHS 40.93

-39.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$2.93 GHS 33.05

-35.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.42 GHS 4.79

285.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.74 GHS 8.37

82.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$1.31 GHS 14.76

314.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$8.77 GHS 99.1

100.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$2.28 GHS 25.78

-9.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$3.19 GHS 36.01

48.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$1.75 GHS 19.79

-80.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$43.36 GHS 490

-50.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$2.26 GHS 25.57

-9.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.42 GHS 4.78

38.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.17 GHS 13.16

38.46%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$80.8 GHS 913

-19.22%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$15.84 GHS 179

88.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$85.2 GHS 963

-57.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$24.86 GHS 281

145.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$8.86 GHS 100

-22.69%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$177 GHS 2,005

155.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$2,686 GHS 30.4K

397.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$13.47 GHS 152

456.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$16.06 GHS 181

244.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$44.07 GHS 498

157.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$32.93 GHS 372

272.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$135 GHS 1,531

736.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$73.4 GHS 829

870.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$441 GHS 4,988

482.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$219 GHS 2,471

499.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$9,991 GHS 112.9K

-60.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$6,102 GHS 69.0K

-65.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$429 GHS 4,847

144.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-67.71%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tema: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $135 in Tema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 144% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $28.00 in Tema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $225 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 113% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $773 including rent). Tema is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 144% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $135 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 101% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $177 in Tema. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $773 in Tema versus $1,646 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 113% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.