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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,383 in Monrovia versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,463 in Monrovia versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,543 in Monrovia versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Monrovia costs roughly 4% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monrovia 3% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 LRD 1,324

$12.98 MX$223

-43.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$152 LRD 27.6K

$52.6 MX$903

189.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 LRD 2,007

$9.43 MX$162

17.39%

Cappuccino

$3.32 LRD 601

$3.57 MX$61.3

-7.00%

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

$1.97 LRD 357

$1.61 MX$27.55

22.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 LRD 477

$1.15 MX$19.81

128.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 LRD 487

$3.15 MX$54.0

-14.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LRD 547

$4.86 MX$83.4

-37.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 LRD 389

$1.70 MX$29.17

25.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 LRD 331

$2.64 MX$45.23

-30.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.27 LRD 955

$1.90 MX$32.67

177.37%

Eggs

$3.57 LRD 647

$2.54 MX$43.62

40.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.86 LRD 2,151

$10.08 MX$173

17.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 LRD 2,165

$8.29 MX$142

44.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.73 LRD 6,480

$11.57 MX$199

208.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 LRD 301

$3.03 MX$52.0

-45.21%

Banana (1kg)

$8.49 LRD 1,541

$1.71 MX$29.35

396.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.23 LRD 1,856

$2.05 MX$35.16

399.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.16 LRD 2,023

$2.06 MX$35.36

441.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 LRD 405

$2.06 MX$35.43

8.25%

Onion (1kg)

$10.60 LRD 1,922

$2.17 MX$37.25

388.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.58 LRD 830

$1.40 MX$24.08

227.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 LRD 357

$1.12 MX$19.26

75.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 LRD 889

$4.29 MX$73.7

14.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 LRD 1,236

$15.41 MX$265

-55.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 LRD 441

$1.67 MX$28.74

45.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LRD 604

$3.69 MX$63.3

-9.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 LRD 530

$0.38 MX$6.55

668.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.78 LRD 3,586

$19.06 MX$327

3.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 LRD 495

$1.38 MX$23.70

97.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 LRD 227

$0.28 MX$4.74

346.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.33 LRD 3,143

$5.42 MX$92.9

219.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LRD 229

$1.28 MX$21.98

-1.56%

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

$12.5K LRD 2.3M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

-34.08%

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

$14.9K LRD 2.7M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-36.56%

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

$270 LRD 49.0K

$41.02 MX$704

559.22%

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

$22.13 LRD 4,014

$26.92 MX$462

-17.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.0 LRD 17.2K

$29.69 MX$510

219.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 LRD 13.7K

$52.3 MX$898

44.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.23 LRD 1,492

$26.23 MX$450

-68.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 LRD 1,805

$6.18 MX$106

61.00%

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

$131 LRD 23.8K

$427 MX$7,331

-69.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$895 LRD 162.3K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-91.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.05 LRD 3,274

$56.8 MX$975

-68.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 LRD 6,192

$44.83 MX$769

-23.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 LRD 10.3K

$105 MX$1,794

-45.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 LRD 12.3K

$106 MX$1,819

-35.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$676 LRD 122.7K

$995 MX$17.1K

-32.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.6 LRD 17.5K

$621 MX$10.7K

-84.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,858 LRD 336.9K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-12.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 LRD 48.2K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-78.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$713 LRD 129.3K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-35.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-55.91%

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

Last update for Monrovia: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $676 in Monrovia and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 55% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $152 in Monrovia vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $536 vs $288 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

Monrovia vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monrovia and Mexico City differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,383 vs $1,447 including rent). Monrovia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 55% less. 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: $676 in Monrovia versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Monrovia runs roughly 4% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $131 in Monrovia versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,383 in Monrovia versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Monrovia but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Monrovia 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 Monrovia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.