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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,466 in Mexico City versus $315 in Yona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Mexico City versus $677 in Yona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Mexico City versus $1,039 in Yona.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 365% more expensive than Yona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Yona is 76% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$231

$20.11 $20.11

-33.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$79.4 $79.4

-32.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$11.77 $11.77

-19.97%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$6.09 $6.09

-41.05%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.96 $1.96

-17.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$1.51 $1.51

-25.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$4.90 $4.90

-33.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

$7.02 $7.02

-33.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.37

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.00

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.99

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.08

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.05

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.51

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.54

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

$24.1K $24.1K

-3.54%

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

$40.30 MX$698

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

$27.15 MX$471

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$510

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

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

$441 MX$7,637

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$992

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$781

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

$3,207 $3,207

-66.35%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Yona: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Yona pays 197% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54 in Mexico City vs $79 in Yona. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $0, with Yona 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 Yona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Yona differ by about 365% in total monthly costs ($1,466 vs $315 including rent). Yona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Yona earns 197% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Dining out is cheaper in Yona – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,466 per month in Mexico City versus $315 in Yona – a 365% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $315 in Yona versus $1,466 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yona but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Yona 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 Yona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 365% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.