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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,837 in Thompson.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $2,748 in Thompson.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $3,658 in Thompson.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 9% less than in Thompson, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 22% above, Thompson 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$18.12 CA$25.13

-33.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$916

$68.0 CA$94.3

-20.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$10.68 CA$14.81

3.84%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.6

$3.67 CA$5.09

11.72%

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

$1.68 MX$28.57

$2.02 CA$2.80

-16.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.58

$1.62 CA$2.25

-14.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.6

$5.38 CA$7.45

-38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.9

$5.69 CA$7.90

3.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.45

$2.05 CA$2.84

-9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.9

$2.57 CA$3.56

23.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.18

$3.43 CA$4.76

-39.65%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.74

$3.58 CA$4.96

-18.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$10.10 CA$14.00

24.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$11.56 CA$16.04

-12.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$15.06 CA$20.88

6.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.6

$3.77 CA$5.23

-10.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.31

$1.31 CA$1.82

58.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.02

$3.82 CA$5.30

-44.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$41.01

$3.88 CA$5.38

-37.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.17

$2.52 CA$3.50

-15.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.07

$2.20 CA$3.05

-8.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$2.45 CA$3.40

-36.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.19

$1.60 CA$2.21

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$98.0

$14.65 CA$20.32

-60.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$12.52 CA$17.37

41.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.16

$2.63 CA$3.65

-21.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.4

$3.22 CA$4.47

43.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$2.29 CA$3.17

-83.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$360

$63.1 CA$87.4

-66.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.89

$3.03 CA$4.20

-32.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.80

$1.52 CA$2.11

-61.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$23.68 CA$32.84

-74.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$1.12 CA$1.55

38.39%

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

$22.9K MX$388.6K

$28.6K CA$39.6K

-19.98%

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

$27.2K MX$462.7K

$19.4K CA$26.9K

40.34%

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

$67.4 MX$1,145

$137 CA$191

-50.95%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$39.79 CA$55.2

-23.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$633

$57.8 CA$80.1

-35.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,044

$42.01 CA$58.3

46.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$461

$18.84 CA$26.12

43.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$11.30 CA$15.67

-37.08%

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

$456 MX$7,750

$761 CA$1,055

-40.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.6K

$13.3K CA$18.5K

2.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,260

$54.1 CA$75.0

37.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$969

$39.28 CA$54.5

45.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,961

$85.6 CA$119

34.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,064

$102 CA$141

19.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$684 CA$948

67.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.1K

$675 CA$937

5.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.8K

$1,116 CA$1,547

130.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$1,139 CA$1,579

13.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$68.0K

$4,363 CA$6,051

-8.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.2K

$3,690 CA$5,117

-42.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$1,561 CA$2,165

-30.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.68

141.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Thompson: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $684 in Thompson. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thompson pays 44% 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 $68.0 in Thompson for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $354 per month, with Mexico City 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 Thompson: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Thompson differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $1,837 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Thompson. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $684 in Thompson. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 198% less than in Thompson. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $761 in Thompson. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,837 in Thompson, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Thompson. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Thompson. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.