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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 MX$231

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$933

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 MX$161

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

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

$1.56 MX$27.03

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 MX$54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$81.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.54

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 MX$48.03

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.05

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.21

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 MX$173

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 MX$141

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 MX$200

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.84

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.07

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.73

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.14

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.12

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.2

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 MX$249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.62

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MX$64.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.12

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 MX$23.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.83

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MX$92.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

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

$19.1K MX$332.0K

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

$23.9K MX$414.5K

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

$39.86 MX$692

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

$26.78 MX$465

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.36 MX$510

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$927

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.09 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$111

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

$440 MX$7,647

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MX$186.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 MX$1,000

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.02 MX$781

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,801

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,874

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 MX$17.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,162 MX$37.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,793 MX$65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 MX$18.7K

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 11, 2026

Last update for Vava'u: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,013 in Mexico City and $0 in Vava'u. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54 in Mexico City vs $0 in Vava'u for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 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.