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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $390 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $613 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $836 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 325% more expensive than in Thiruvananthapuram, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Thiruvananthapuram is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$2.68 ₹257

344.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$10.40 ₹998

396.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.48 ₹334

227.87%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.84 ₹177

116.85%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.43 ₹41.27

286.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.16 ₹15.43

731.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.12 ₹204

63.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.55 ₹244

131.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$0.52 ₹50.1

261.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.54 ₹52.3

501.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.61 ₹58.8

254.10%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$0.84 ₹80.3

245.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$5.34 ₹513

140.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.73 ₹262

268.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.31 ₹221

42.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$0.74 ₹71.0

171.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.21 ₹116

81.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.44 ₹41.93

436.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.44 ₹41.94

365.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.46 ₹43.79

313.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.55 ₹52.8

192.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.30 ₹29.00

366.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.35 ₹418

25.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$5.10 ₹489

246.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.82 ₹175

13.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.08 ₹295

51.95%

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

$4.94 ₹474

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.20 ₹19.18

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$2.85 ₹273

630.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.72 ₹165

22.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.27 ₹26.04

107.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$2.55 ₹244

127.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.09 ₹105

47.71%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$13.7K ₹1.3M

66.21%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$29.7K ₹2.8M

-9.90%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$34.84 ₹3,342

87.08%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$3.34 ₹320

800.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$7.63 ₹732

387.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$13.92 ₹1,336

329.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$7.42 ₹712

257.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$2.14 ₹206

228.97%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$37.72 ₹3,618

1131.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$2,089 ₹200.5K

535.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$21.63 ₹2,076

250.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$17.83 ₹1,711

213.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$36.22 ₹3,475

208.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$26.81 ₹2,572

349.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$180 ₹17.3K

512.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$98.6 ₹9,456

631.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$365 ₹35.0K

592.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$210 ₹20.1K

517.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$862 ₹82.7K

363.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$453 ₹43.5K

360.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$245 ₹23.5K

323.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.31

9.60%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Thiruvananthapuram: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $180 in Thiruvananthapuram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 324% 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 $10.00 in Thiruvananthapuram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $103 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 325% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $390 including rent). Thiruvananthapuram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 324% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $180 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 630% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $37.72 in Thiruvananthapuram. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $390 in Thiruvananthapuram versus $1,660 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 325% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.