Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Vava'u Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Vava'u

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$226

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$922

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$169

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.2

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

$1.57 MX$27.27

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.62

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.18

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.04

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.66

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.60

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$175

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$208

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.71

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.41

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.23

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.23

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.53

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.89

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.0

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$248

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$324

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.28

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.47

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

$18.9K MX$328.2K

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

$23.2K MX$402.4K

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

$40.82 MX$710

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

$27.50 MX$478

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$528

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$929

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

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

$436 MX$7,580

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$987

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$778

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,787

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,875

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Vava'u: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $0 in Vava'u. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53 in Mexico City vs $0 in Vava'u for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $0 per month, with Vava'u 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 Vava'u: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For families, Vava'u is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Vava'u are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Vava'u wins on affordability, Mexico City on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.