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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $977 in Zhongli City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,660 in Zhongli City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,344 in Zhongli City.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 70% more expensive than in Zhongli City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Zhongli City is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$4.69 NT$149

154.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$32.17 NT$1,024

60.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$4.65 NT$148

145.38%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.58 NT$82.2

54.65%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.98 NT$31.20

69.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.68 NT$21.67

95.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.62 NT$51.5

114.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.88 NT$91.7

104.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$3.17 NT$101

-40.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.72 NT$54.9

88.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.64 NT$84.0

-18.18%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.61 NT$83.0

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$12.49 NT$398

2.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$7.13 NT$227

40.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$15.67 NT$499

1.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$3.70 NT$118

-11.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.90 NT$60.3

5.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.83 NT$58.3

20.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$2.16 NT$68.6

9.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.23 NT$39.20

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.92 NT$61.1

-1.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$2.32 NT$73.9

-30.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.86 NT$27.23

62.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$3.95 NT$126

38.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$15.87 NT$505

11.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.63 NT$52.0

26.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.50 NT$79.7

87.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.61 NT$19.55

-44.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$38.06 NT$1,212

-45.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$2.61 NT$82.9

-19.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.57 NT$18.16

-1.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$9.21 NT$293

-36.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.02 NT$32.55

57.84%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$33.5K NT$1.1M

-31.89%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$23.0K NT$733.0K

16.18%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$106 NT$3,387

-38.75%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$14.93 NT$475

101.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$17.36 NT$553

114.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$9.94 NT$316

-29.18%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$344 NT$11.0K

34.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$16.8K NT$534.9K

-21.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$67.5 NT$2,148

12.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$35.61 NT$1,134

57.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$55.8 NT$1,777

100.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$109 NT$3,474

10.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$460 NT$14.6K

139.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$253 NT$8,048

185.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$880 NT$28.0K

187.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$721 NT$22.9K

79.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$2,344 NT$74.6K

-55.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.1

438.10%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Zhongli City: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $460 in Zhongli City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhongli City pays 126% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $32.00 in Zhongli City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $310 per month, with Zhongli 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 Zhongli City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Zhongli City differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $977 including rent). Zhongli City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 126% lower in Zhongli City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $460 in Zhongli City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zhongli City runs roughly 83% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $344 in Zhongli City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $977 in Zhongli City versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zhongli City but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Zhongli 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 Zhongli City 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 Zhongli City 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.