Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Montego Bay versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,759 in Montego Bay versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,231 in Montego Bay versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Montego Bay costs roughly 13% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montego Bay is 4% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 JMD 1,208

$12.98 MX$227

-40.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 JMD 7,988

$53.1 MX$929

-4.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 JMD 1,147

$9.72 MX$170

-24.90%

Cappuccino

$4.38 JMD 688

$3.75 MX$65.6

16.80%

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

$1.37 JMD 216

$1.57 MX$27.46

-12.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$1.13 MX$19.76

-37.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 JMD 389

$3.18 MX$55.7

-22.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 484

$4.66 MX$81.6

-33.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 JMD 396

$1.62 MX$28.37

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 JMD 421

$2.71 MX$47.36

-1.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 246

$1.88 MX$32.89

-16.49%

Eggs

$3.60 JMD 565

$2.51 MX$43.90

43.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 JMD 1,732

$10.08 MX$176

9.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 JMD 1,010

$8.29 MX$145

-22.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 JMD 1,220

$11.94 MX$209

-34.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 JMD 529

$2.86 MX$50.1

17.83%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 486

$1.75 MX$30.62

76.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 JMD 445

$2.08 MX$36.48

36.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 JMD 277

$1.97 MX$34.46

-10.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 JMD 333

$2.16 MX$37.79

-1.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 JMD 177

$2.18 MX$38.16

-48.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 JMD 300

$1.39 MX$24.34

37.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 JMD 146

$1.12 MX$19.69

-16.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 JMD 1,352

$4.20 MX$73.5

105.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 JMD 1,800

$14.25 MX$249

-19.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 JMD 331

$1.76 MX$30.85

19.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 JMD 481

$3.68 MX$64.5

-16.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 JMD 146

$0.39 MX$6.74

138.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 JMD 146

$1.39 MX$24.26

-33.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 505

$0.30 MX$5.32

973.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 JMD 1,001

$5.42 MX$94.9

17.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.35 MX$23.63

-8.15%

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

$42.3K JMD 6.6M

$18.9K MX$330.5K

123.97%

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

$23.2K MX$405.2K

47.30%

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

$163 JMD 25.6K

$40.82 MX$714

298.80%

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

$21.26 JMD 3,339

$27.50 MX$481

-22.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.70 JMD 7,491

$30.38 MX$532

57.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.35 JMD 5,866

$53.4 MX$935

-30.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 JMD 1,185

$6.27 MX$110

20.26%

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

$62.6 JMD 9,827

$436 MX$7,632

-85.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,882 JMD 295.6K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-82.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.12 JMD 4,102

$56.8 MX$993

-53.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.10 JMD 3,157

$44.79 MX$784

-55.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 JMD 10.4K

$103 MX$1,799

-35.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

$108 MX$1,888

-29.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 JMD 40.3K

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-74.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 JMD 72.4K

$620 MX$10.9K

-25.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 JMD 105.0K

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-68.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 JMD 67.7K

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-65.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 JMD 88.3K

$1,067 MX$18.7K

-47.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-29.45%

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

Last update for Montego Bay: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $257 in Montego Bay and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 90% 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: $51.0 in Montego Bay vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $286 per month, with Montego Bay 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

Montego Bay vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montego Bay and Mexico City differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,484 including rent). Montego Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 90% 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: $257 in Montego Bay versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $62.6 in Montego Bay versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Montego Bay – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Montego Bay versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Montego Bay but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.