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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $382 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $604 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $827 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 284% more expensive than Thiruvananthapuram, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Thiruvananthapuram is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$2.27 ₹218

480.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$931

$13.73 ₹1,315

292.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.31 ₹413

118.56%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.3

$1.80 ₹172

97.22%

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

$1.62 MX$27.95

$0.33 ₹32.00

390.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.25

$0.23 ₹22.04

382.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$53.9

$1.71 ₹164

82.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.0

$3.47 ₹332

33.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.40

$0.60 ₹57.2

183.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$46.97

$0.54 ₹51.6

403.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.04

$0.63 ₹60.7

203.17%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.82

$0.99 ₹95.1

156.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$173

$5.93 ₹568

69.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$2.40 ₹230

237.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.42 ₹231

22.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.21

$0.71 ₹68.3

154.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.79

$1.27 ₹122

58.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.16

$0.58 ₹55.6

250.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.71

$0.52 ₹49.75

307.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.21

$0.61 ₹58.4

272.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.20

$0.51 ₹48.81

174.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.53

$0.30 ₹29.08

276.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$3.59 ₹344

18.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$6.70 ₹641

132.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.36

$1.48 ₹142

18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.1

$2.81 ₹269

28.11%

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

$4.82 ₹462

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.17 ₹15.89

123.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$331

$6.36 ₹609

201.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$0.96 ₹91.5

43.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.1

$1.79 ₹171

204.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.53

$1.24 ₹119

4.84%

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

$18.7K MX$322.9K

$18.9K ₹1.8M

-1.23%

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

$23.1K MX$399.7K

$21.5K ₹2.1M

7.68%

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

$40.86 MX$706

$28.02 ₹2,684

45.82%

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

$26.81 MX$463

$3.39 ₹324

690.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$7.98 ₹764

275.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$899

$16.57 ₹1,587

213.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$11.88 ₹1,137

125.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$2.35 ₹225

168.09%

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

$436 MX$7,536

$30.59 ₹2,929

1325.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.0K

$1,959 ₹187.6K

431.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$979

$18.05 ₹1,729

213.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$767

$15.97 ₹1,530

177.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,779

$33.82 ₹3,239

204.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,823

$22.06 ₹2,113

378.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$144 ₹13.8K

610.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$89.9 ₹8,609

601.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$281 ₹26.9K

660.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$173 ₹16.6K

617.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.4K

$678 ₹64.9K

476.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$428 ₹41.0K

382.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$241 ₹23.1K

362.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-5.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Thiruvananthapuram: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $144 in Thiruvananthapuram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 362% 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 $14.00 in Thiruvananthapuram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $107 per month, with Thiruvananthapuram 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 Thiruvananthapuram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Thiruvananthapuram differ by about 284% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $382 including rent). Thiruvananthapuram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 362% more on average, 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $144 in Thiruvananthapuram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Thiruvananthapuram runs roughly 202% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $30.59 in Thiruvananthapuram. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $382 in Thiruvananthapuram versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Thiruvananthapuram but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Thiruvananthapuram 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 Thiruvananthapuram 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 Thiruvananthapuram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 284% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.