Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Waikiki, HI Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Waikiki, HI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,466 in Mexico City versus $2,980 in Waikiki, HI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Mexico City versus $4,395 in Waikiki, HI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Mexico City versus $5,810 in Waikiki, HI.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 51% less than in Waikiki, HI, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Waikiki, HI 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$231

$23.33 $23.33

-42.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$102 $102

-47.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$15.12 $15.12

-37.70%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$5.95 $5.95

-39.66%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$3.67 $3.67

-55.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$2.84 $2.84

-60.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$7.92 $7.92

-58.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

$8.85 $8.85

-47.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.60 $1.60

2.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$2.41 $2.41

9.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.99

$10.23 $10.23

-80.84%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.08

$7.44 $7.44

-65.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

$12.36 $12.36

-19.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

$19.09 $19.09

-56.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

$19.73 $19.73

-40.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

$6.83 $6.83

-58.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.05

$1.65 $1.65

4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

$6.43 $6.43

-69.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.51

$8.12 $8.12

-74.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$5.05 $5.05

-59.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.54

$4.43 $4.43

-48.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

$4.91 $4.91

-70.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

$3.09 $3.09

-64.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$11.83 $11.83

-63.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

$20.35 $20.35

-27.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

$2.53 $2.53

-30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

$5.50 $5.50

-35.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

$2.04 $2.04

-81.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

$80.8 $80.8

-76.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

$3.52 $3.52

-60.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

$2.67 $2.67

-88.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

$44.77 $44.77

-87.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$1.27 $1.27

5.51%

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

$30.3K $30.3K

-37.87%

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

$24.6K $24.6K

-5.80%

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

$40.30 MX$698

$237 $237

-83.00%

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

$27.15 MX$471

$64.9 $64.9

-58.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$510

$67.2 $67.2

-56.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

$43.82 $43.82

20.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

$15.83 $15.83

-60.96%

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

$441 MX$7,637

$1,510 $1,510

-70.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

$20.5K $20.5K

-47.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$992

$57.2 $57.2

0.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$781

$59.1 $59.1

-23.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$107 $107

-3.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$128 $128

-14.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

$1,600 $1,600

-37.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

$1,352 $1,352

-53.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

$2,602 $2,602

-17.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.7K

$2,196 $2,196

-42.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

$2,461 $2,461

52.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

$2,667 $2,667

-10.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.59

72.08%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Last update for Waikiki, HI: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $1,600 in Waikiki, HI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54 in Mexico City vs $102 in Waikiki, HI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $558 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 Waikiki, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Waikiki, HI differ by about 103% in total monthly costs ($1,466 vs $2,980 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,199 in Mexico City and $4,470 in Waikiki, HI 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $1,600 in Waikiki, HI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 331% less than in Waikiki, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $441 in Mexico City versus $1,510 in Waikiki, HI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $2,980 in Waikiki, HI, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Waikiki, HI. 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Waikiki, HI 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Waikiki, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.