😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $984 in Ventspils.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,543 in Ventspils.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,103 in Ventspils.
🌍Living in Mexico City is roughly 70% more expensive than in Ventspils, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Ventspils is 29% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Ventspils
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.14MX$206
$13.73€11.83
-11.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.9MX$914
$58.5€50.5
-7.93%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.09MX$188
$8.93€7.69
24.19%
Cappuccino
$4.10MX$69.5
$2.62€2.26
56.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68MX$28.53
$1.68€1.44
-
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39MX$23.55
$1.21€1.04
14.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.33MX$56.5
$3.42€2.95
-2.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88MX$99.7
$2.39€2.06
146.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Ventspils
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.85MX$31.41
$1.18€1.02
56.78%
White Bread(500g)
$3.17MX$53.8
$1.19€1.03
166.39%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.07MX$35.13
$2.59€2.23
-20.08%
Eggs
$2.93MX$49.67
$3.29€2.84
-10.94%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.59MX$214
$10.62€9.16
18.55%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.11MX$172
$8.89€7.66
13.72%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.09MX$273
$14.39€12.40
11.81%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39MX$57.5
$2.19€1.89
54.79%
Banana(1kg)
$2.08MX$35.26
$1.92€1.66
8.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.12MX$35.97
$2.44€2.11
-13.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.41MX$40.95
$3.21€2.77
-24.92%
Potato(1kg)
$2.13MX$36.11
$0.94€0.81
126.60%
Onion(1kg)
$2.01MX$34.02
$1.00€0.86
101.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55MX$26.21
$1.86€1.60
-16.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.36MX$23.15
$1.03€0.89
32.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.77MX$97.8
$7.13€6.15
-19.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.74MX$301
$8.07€6.96
119.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07MX$35.11
$2.11€1.81
-1.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$78.3
$2.10€1.81
119.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Ventspils
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.37MX$6.21
$1.14€0.98
-67.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$21.18MX$359
$17.57€15.14
20.55%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.05MX$34.84
$3.46€2.98
-40.75%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58MX$9.79
$1.07€0.92
-45.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.07MX$103
$18.60€16.03
-67.37%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.55MX$26.34
$1.85€1.60
-16.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.9KMX$388.1K
$28.6K€24.6K
-19.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2KMX$462.0K
$32.5K€28.1K
-16.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Ventspils
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$67.4MX$1,144
$275€237
-75.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.62MX$520
$17.17€14.80
78.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.24MX$632
$17.20€14.83
116.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Ventspils
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5MX$1,043
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.12MX$460
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.11MX$121
$11.08€9.55
-35.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Ventspils
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$456MX$7,739
$634€546
-28.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.7KMX$232.3K
$18.0K€15.5K
-23.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Ventspils
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.2MX$1,259
$73.2€63.1
1.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.0MX$967
$51.5€44.39
10.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115MX$1,958
$69.4€59.8
66.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122MX$2,061
$104€89.6
16.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Ventspils
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,148MX$19.5K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$709MX$12.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,577MX$43.7K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,295MX$22.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,005MX$67.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,130MX$36.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Ventspils
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,082MX$18.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.3
4.2
169.05%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026
Last update for Ventspils: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $59.0 in Ventspils. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $271, with Ventspils cheaper for home cooking.
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 Ventspils: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Ventspils?
Mexico City and Ventspils differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $984 including rent). Ventspils is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Ventspils?
You'd need roughly $2,515 in Mexico City and $1,476 in Ventspils to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in Ventspils?
A monthly transit pass in Ventspils runs roughly 21% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Ventspils?
Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $634 in Ventspils. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $984 in Ventspils versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ventspils but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ventspils the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Ventspils?
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.
Is Mexico City or Ventspils safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Ventspils are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Ventspils?
Expats usually find Ventspils gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared