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: $1,314 in Montego Bay versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,787 in Montego Bay versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,261 in Montego Bay versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Montego Bay costs roughly 9% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montego Bay is 2% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 JMD 1,186

$12.98 MX$223

-41.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 JMD 7,905

$52.6 MX$903

-4.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 JMD 1,161

$9.43 MX$162

-21.74%

Cappuccino

$4.31 JMD 678

$3.57 MX$61.3

20.73%

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

$1.33 JMD 209

$1.61 MX$27.55

-17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

$1.15 MX$19.81

-33.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 382

$3.15 MX$54.0

-22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 JMD 500

$4.86 MX$83.4

-34.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.53 JMD 397

$1.70 MX$29.17

48.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 JMD 434

$2.64 MX$45.23

4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JMD 257

$1.90 MX$32.67

-14.21%

Eggs

$3.56 JMD 559

$2.54 MX$43.62

40.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 JMD 1,721

$10.08 MX$173

8.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JMD 1,014

$8.29 MX$142

-22.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.56 JMD 1,189

$11.57 MX$199

-34.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 JMD 537

$3.03 MX$52.0

12.87%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 494

$1.71 MX$29.35

83.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 JMD 427

$2.05 MX$35.16

32.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 JMD 275

$2.06 MX$35.36

-15.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 319

$2.06 MX$35.43

-1.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 JMD 178

$2.17 MX$37.25

-47.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 JMD 301

$1.40 MX$24.08

36.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 JMD 149

$1.12 MX$19.26

-15.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.03 JMD 1,420

$4.29 MX$73.7

110.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 JMD 1,773

$15.41 MX$265

-26.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 JMD 332

$1.67 MX$28.74

26.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 497

$3.69 MX$63.3

-14.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 JMD 151

$0.38 MX$6.55

152.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 JMD 143

$1.38 MX$23.70

-34.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 505

$0.28 MX$4.74

1046.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 JMD 1,006

$5.42 MX$92.9

18.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 JMD 203

$1.28 MX$21.98

0.78%

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

$43.6K JMD 6.9M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

129.69%

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

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

43.74%

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

$163 JMD 25.6K

$41.02 MX$704

296.59%

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

$21.15 JMD 3,327

$26.92 MX$462

-21.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.83 JMD 7,522

$29.69 MX$510

61.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.84 JMD 5,952

$52.3 MX$898

-27.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 JMD 1,188

$6.18 MX$106

22.17%

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

$63.0 JMD 9,903

$427 MX$7,331

-85.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,913 JMD 300.9K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-82.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.80 JMD 4,057

$56.8 MX$975

-54.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.75 JMD 3,106

$44.83 MX$769

-55.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 JMD 10.5K

$105 MX$1,794

-36.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

$106 MX$1,819

-29.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 JMD 41.8K

$995 MX$17.1K

-73.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 JMD 70.4K

$621 MX$10.7K

-27.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 JMD 102.0K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-69.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 JMD 69.6K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-64.70%

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)

$552 JMD 86.8K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-50.18%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Montego Bay and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 101% 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: $50.0 in Montego Bay vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $288 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 10% in total monthly costs ($1,314 vs $1,447 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 101% 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: $266 in Montego Bay versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $63.0 in Montego Bay versus $427 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 $50.0 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,314 in Montego Bay versus $1,447 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 10% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.