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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $375 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $604 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $832 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 288% more expensive than in Thiruvananthapuram, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Thiruvananthapuram is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$2.34 ₹226

458.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$13.93 ₹1,343

285.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$4.32 ₹417

124.07%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.77 ₹171

111.30%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.33 ₹32.07

390.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.21 ₹20.18

452.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.70 ₹164

90.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$3.37 ₹325

40.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$0.59 ₹57.0

179.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.54 ₹52.4

409.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$0.62 ₹59.8

201.61%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$0.92 ₹88.7

171.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$5.67 ₹547

79.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$2.44 ₹235

238.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.47 ₹238

21.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$0.78 ₹74.7

132.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.27 ₹122

57.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.64 ₹61.5

212.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.51 ₹49.28

307.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.59 ₹57.4

284.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.48 ₹46.28

204.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.30 ₹28.95

260.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.50 ₹338

24.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$5.14 ₹495

230.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.46 ₹141

18.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.76 ₹266

29.71%

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

$4.97 ₹480

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.17 ₹16.49

129.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$6.43 ₹620

190.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.00 ₹96.8

33.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$1.70 ₹164

208.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.24 ₹120

8.06%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$18.3K ₹1.8M

6.20%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$21.5K ₹2.1M

10.92%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$28.39 ₹2,738

43.33%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$3.52 ₹340

663.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$7.57 ₹730

303.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$16.42 ₹1,583

221.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$11.57 ₹1,116

130.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$2.29 ₹221

184.28%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$29.93 ₹2,886

1330.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$1,946 ₹187.7K

439.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$18.10 ₹1,745

216.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$16.14 ₹1,557

181.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$34.13 ₹3,291

204.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$22.06 ₹2,127

388.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$144 ₹13.8K

599.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$89.3 ₹8,607

597.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$282 ₹27.2K

648.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$176 ₹17.0K

592.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$684 ₹65.9K

468.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$418 ₹40.3K

385.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$238 ₹22.9K

336.34%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Thiruvananthapuram: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $144 in Thiruvananthapuram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 336% 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 $292 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 288% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $375 including rent). Thiruvananthapuram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 336% 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 $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 191% 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 $29.93 in Thiruvananthapuram. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $375 in Thiruvananthapuram versus $1,456 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 288% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.