For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico: $1,274 a month against $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Mexico and in the United Kingdom
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico and in the United Kingdom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,274 in Mexico versus $2,462 in the United Kingdom.
Mexico $1,274
United Kingdom $2,462
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Mexico versus $3,600 in the United Kingdom.
Mexico $2,010
United Kingdom $3,600
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Mexico versus $4,738 in the United Kingdom.
Mexico $2,746
United Kingdom $4,738
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in the United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,126 to $4,646, compared to $730–$2,625 in Mexico. City choice carries more weight in the United Kingdom.
🌍
Living in Mexico costs about 48% less than in the United Kingdom on average.
📊
Mexico (6% below) and the United Kingdom (81% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.63MX$200
$21.48£16.04
-50.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.29MX$813
$85.7£64.0
-49.51%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.94MX$168
$10.61£7.92
-15.74%
Cappuccino
$3.61MX$67.7
$4.91£3.67
-26.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48MX$27.70
$2.66£1.99
-44.36%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00MX$18.77
$1.87£1.39
-46.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.67MX$50.0
$6.63£4.95
-59.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37MX$82.0
$6.84£5.11
-36.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.59MX$29.76
$1.68£1.25
-5.36%
White Bread(500g)
$2.67MX$50.2
$1.72£1.28
55.23%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.68MX$31.57
$2.17£1.62
-22.58%
Eggs
$2.52MX$47.38
$4.00£2.99
-37.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.79MX$165
$9.42£7.03
-6.69%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.97MX$150
$9.19£6.86
-13.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.50MX$216
$14.77£11.03
-22.14%
Apples(1kg)
$2.76MX$51.7
$2.97£2.21
-7.07%
Banana(1kg)
$1.52MX$28.61
$1.62£1.21
-6.17%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.95MX$36.70
$2.85£2.13
-31.58%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.97MX$36.93
$3.52£2.63
-44.03%
Potato(1kg)
$1.96MX$36.84
$1.83£1.37
7.10%
Onion(1kg)
$2.03MX$38.08
$1.61£1.20
26.09%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.43MX$26.90
$1.25£0.93
14.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14MX$21.39
$1.66£1.24
-31.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.52MX$84.9
$23.65£17.66
-80.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.87MX$204
$10.50£7.84
3.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77MX$33.14
$2.98£2.23
-40.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19MX$59.9
$3.51£2.62
-9.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.62MX$11.64
$3.98£2.97
-84.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.85MX$560
$107£80.2
-72.21%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.66MX$49.97
$5.18£3.87
-48.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.72MX$51.0
$2.35£1.75
15.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.63MX$200
$26.84£20.04
-60.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.40MX$26.24
$1.99£1.48
-29.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.0KMX$450.0K
$39.4K£29.5K
-39.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9KMX$449.0K
$40.5K£30.2K
-40.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$69.2MX$1,299
$327£244
-78.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51MX$441
$18.21£13.60
29.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.00MX$544
$43.60£32.56
-33.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$34.74MX$652
$42.36£31.63
-17.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.46MX$328
$18.22£13.60
-4.17%
Cinema Ticket
$5.24MX$98.5
$13.85£10.34
-62.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$261MX$4,892
$1,868£1,395
-86.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,999MX$112.6K
$22.6K£16.9K
-73.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8MX$1,048
$92.9£69.4
-39.91%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.58MX$781
$45.92£34.29
-9.45%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.3MX$1,809
$102£75.9
-5.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.1MX$1,691
$102£76.3
-11.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$713MX$13.4K
$1,342£1,002
-46.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,954
$1,073£801
-55.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,358MX$25.5K
$2,231£1,666
-39.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$906MX$17.0K
$1,742£1,301
-47.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,597MX$48.7K
$5,601£4,182
-53.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,565MX$29.4K
$4,265£3,185
-63.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$773MX$14.5K
$3,349£2,501
-76.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.43
5.32
114.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico: October 25, 2026
Last update for the United Kingdom: October 26, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Mexico
$477 37.4%
United Kingdom
$1.1K 43.6% ↑ 125%$596
🛒Groceries & Markets
Mexico
$267 21%
United Kingdom
$307 12.5% ↑ 15.1%$40
🍽Eating Out
Mexico
$187 14.7%
United Kingdom
$328 13.3% ↑ 75%$140
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Mexico
$128 10%
United Kingdom
$154 6.3% ↑ 20.7%$26
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico
$122 9.6%
United Kingdom
$389 15.8% ↑ 220%$267
🚌Getting Around
Mexico
$49 3.8%
United Kingdom
$140 5.7% ↑ 189%$92
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Mexico
$45 3.6%
United Kingdom
$70 2.9% ↑ 54.9%$25
🏠Accommodation & Living
Mexico
$906 33%
United Kingdom
$1.7K 36.8% ↑ 92.3%$836
🛒Groceries & Markets
Mexico
$612 22.3%
United Kingdom
$705 14.9% ↑ 15.3%$93
🍽Eating Out
Mexico
$593 21.6%
United Kingdom
$1.1K 23.1% ↑ 84.5%$501
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Mexico
$284 10.3%
United Kingdom
$343 7.2% ↑ 20.7%$59
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico
$145 5.3%
United Kingdom
$407 8.6% ↑ 181%$262
🚌Getting Around
Mexico
$98 3.6%
United Kingdom
$288 6.1% ↑ 193%$190
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Mexico
$108 3.9%
United Kingdom
$158 3.3% ↑ 46.7%$50
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $624 in Mexico, $1,287 in the United Kingdom. Capital cities: $1,113 in Mexico City vs $2,811 in London.
💰National salary averages: $722 in Mexico, $3,251 in the United Kingdom. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 106% higher in the United Kingdom.
⭐Dining out costs 93% more in the United Kingdom.
⭐Public transport is 226% more expensive in the United Kingdom.
⭐Salaries are about 4.5 times higher in the United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United Kingdom.
Mexico→United Kingdom8,930 km≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
Mexico
United Kingdom
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 vs United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Mexico and the United Kingdom?
At $1,274 per month in Mexico and $2,462 in the United Kingdom, Mexico comes out about 48% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Mexico: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,287 in the United Kingdom and $624 in Mexico. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Mexico or in the United Kingdom?
In Mexico, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in the United Kingdom it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Mexico or to the United Kingdom?
It depends on what you’re after: Mexico wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.