Cost of Living Comparison Between Nuku'alofa and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Nuku'alofa and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,029 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,870 in Nuku'alofa versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,711 in Nuku'alofa versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Nuku'alofa costs roughly 37% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nuku'alofa is 25% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.28 TOP 19.39

$12.11 MX$206

-31.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.1 TOP 146

$52.2 MX$887

18.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.23 TOP 23.97

$10.90 MX$185

-6.15%

Cappuccino

$2.96 TOP 6.95

$4.05 MX$68.8

-26.91%

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

$2.80 TOP 6.57

$1.72 MX$29.13

62.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 TOP 5.87

$1.38 MX$23.40

81.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 TOP 7.96

$3.47 MX$58.9

-2.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 TOP 11.84

$5.81 MX$98.7

-13.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 TOP 3.76

$1.85 MX$31.48

-13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 TOP 2.48

$3.22 MX$54.7

-67.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 TOP 4.70

$2.09 MX$35.42

-4.31%

Eggs

$5.23 TOP 12.26

$2.91 MX$49.41

79.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.79 TOP 20.59

$12.49 MX$212

-29.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 TOP 13.41

$10.11 MX$172

-43.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 TOP 17.92

$15.89 MX$270

-51.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 TOP 6.31

$3.31 MX$56.3

-18.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 TOP 6.53

$2.13 MX$36.12

30.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 TOP 6.85

$2.19 MX$37.20

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 TOP 8.70

$2.45 MX$41.57

51.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 TOP 7.58

$2.19 MX$37.18

47.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 TOP 6.28

$1.90 MX$32.35

41.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 TOP 5.16

$1.62 MX$27.44

35.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TOP 3.29

$1.35 MX$22.92

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 TOP 23.40

$5.43 MX$92.1

83.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.10 TOP 40.08

$17.59 MX$299

-2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 TOP 7.48

$2.07 MX$35.12

54.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 TOP 7.91

$4.75 MX$80.6

-29.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 TOP 4.99

$0.34 MX$5.77

526.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.22 TOP 98.9

$21.58 MX$366

95.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 TOP 4.76

$2.04 MX$34.65

-0.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 TOP 4.81

$0.58 MX$9.82

253.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.04 TOP 98.5

$5.97 MX$101

604.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 TOP 3.43

$1.62 MX$27.44

-9.26%

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

$5,712 TOP 13.4K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

-74.96%

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

$8,471 TOP 19.9K

$26.7K MX$452.8K

-68.23%

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

$183 TOP 429

$65.2 MX$1,108

180.93%

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

$22.53 TOP 52.8

$29.87 MX$507

-24.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 TOP 292

$36.55 MX$621

240.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.75 TOP 72.1

$61.0 MX$1,036

-49.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.05 TOP 98.5

$26.70 MX$453

57.49%

Cinema Ticket

$41.48 TOP 97.2

$6.85 MX$116

505.55%

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

$161 TOP 377

$453 MX$7,700

-64.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$253 TOP 592

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-98.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.41 TOP 33.77

$75.0 MX$1,273

-80.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.68 TOP 41.43

$55.3 MX$939

-68.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.80 TOP 48.75

$114 MX$1,929

-81.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.75 TOP 67.4

$123 MX$2,083

-76.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 TOP 1,463

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-44.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 TOP 1,958

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-67.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 TOP 1,316

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-57.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$413 TOP 967

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-89.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$254 TOP 596

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-87.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 TOP 1,598

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-34.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Nuku'alofa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $624 in Nuku'alofa and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 53% 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: $62.0 in Nuku'alofa vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $345, with Nuku'alofa cheaper for home cooking.

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

Nuku'alofa vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nuku'alofa and Mexico City differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,029 vs $1,646 including rent). Nuku'alofa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 53% 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: $624 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nuku'alofa runs roughly 96% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $161 in Nuku'alofa versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,029 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nuku'alofa but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Nuku'alofa 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.

Safety-wise, Nuku'alofa and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Nuku'alofa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.