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: $1,295 in Montego Bay versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,753 in Montego Bay versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,210 in Montego Bay versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Montego Bay costs roughly 12% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montego Bay is 3% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 JMD 1,188

$13.14 MX$227

-42.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 JMD 7,898

$53.5 MX$926

-6.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 JMD 1,215

$9.33 MX$161

-17.26%

Cappuccino

$4.31 JMD 678

$3.70 MX$64.0

16.49%

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

$1.32 JMD 209

$1.60 MX$27.76

-17.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

$1.12 MX$19.34

-32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 JMD 388

$3.14 MX$54.3

-21.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 JMD 484

$4.85 MX$83.9

-36.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 JMD 390

$1.65 MX$28.61

49.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 JMD 444

$2.71 MX$46.96

4.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 252

$1.91 MX$33.03

-16.23%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 544

$2.59 MX$44.81

33.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 JMD 1,752

$9.81 MX$170

13.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 JMD 1,017

$8.43 MX$146

-23.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 JMD 1,211

$11.93 MX$206

-35.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 JMD 528

$2.95 MX$51.1

13.56%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 495

$1.74 MX$30.10

80.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 JMD 431

$2.04 MX$35.38

34.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 JMD 281

$2.06 MX$35.64

-13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 JMD 321

$2.15 MX$37.20

-5.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 JMD 177

$2.26 MX$39.02

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 JMD 290

$1.39 MX$23.97

32.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 JMD 147

$1.12 MX$19.31

-16.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.80 JMD 1,386

$4.22 MX$73.0

108.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,758

$17.51 MX$303

-36.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 JMD 334

$1.71 MX$29.58

23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 496

$3.63 MX$62.8

-13.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 JMD 145

$0.35 MX$6.10

162.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 JMD 152

$1.38 MX$23.80

-30.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 512

$0.28 MX$4.77

1060.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 JMD 966

$5.28 MX$91.3

16.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$1.36 MX$23.50

-9.56%

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

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

$19.1K MX$330.5K

121.82%

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

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

$23.6K MX$408.4K

39.74%

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

$40.53 MX$701

303.95%

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

$21.61 JMD 3,404

$27.38 MX$474

-21.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.06 JMD 7,569

$30.38 MX$526

58.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.26 JMD 5,869

$52.2 MX$903

-28.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 JMD 1,192

$6.19 MX$107

22.29%

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

$62.7 JMD 9,870

$425 MX$7,355

-85.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,854 JMD 292.0K

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-82.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.57 JMD 4,185

$58.3 MX$1,009

-54.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.57 JMD 3,083

$44.57 MX$771

-56.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 JMD 10.5K

$103 MX$1,791

-35.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

$109 MX$1,881

-30.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 JMD 41.7K

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-73.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 JMD 70.6K

$623 MX$10.8K

-27.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 JMD 104.3K

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-68.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 JMD 70.3K

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-63.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 JMD 87.0K

$1,052 MX$18.2K

-47.49%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $265 in Montego Bay and $1,014 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: $50.0 in Montego Bay vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $293 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 14% in total monthly costs ($1,295 vs $1,472 including rent). Montego Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Mexico 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: $265 in Montego Bay versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $62.7 in Montego Bay versus $425 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,295 in Montego Bay versus $1,472 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 14% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.