Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,662 in Palmerston North versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,665 in Palmerston North versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,668 in Palmerston North versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Palmerston North is roughly 14% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Palmerston North 24% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.84 NZ$28.83

$13.07 MX$229

28.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 NZ$124

$53.8 MX$943

34.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 NZ$20.62

$9.68 MX$170

24.38%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.83

$3.74 MX$65.6

-8.82%

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

$2.30 NZ$3.93

$1.62 MX$28.34

41.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.56

$1.16 MX$20.37

79.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 NZ$12.59

$3.23 MX$56.6

127.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.20 NZ$10.62

$4.74 MX$83.1

30.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.29

$1.65 MX$28.89

16.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$2.75 MX$48.30

-24.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$1.87 MX$32.87

-3.21%

Eggs

$5.28 NZ$9.03

$2.50 MX$43.86

111.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 NZ$14.03

$10.20 MX$179

-19.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.27 NZ$15.87

$8.25 MX$145

12.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 NZ$21.55

$11.82 MX$207

6.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 NZ$4.27

$3.01 MX$52.8

-16.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.13

$1.81 MX$31.77

1.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.16

$2.00 MX$35.07

21.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 NZ$5.96

$2.00 MX$35.00

74.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.65

$2.08 MX$36.56

2.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.69

$2.27 MX$39.85

-4.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 NZ$3.49

$1.46 MX$25.55

39.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 NZ$1.70

$1.08 MX$18.88

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.47 NZ$35.04

$4.35 MX$76.3

370.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.79 NZ$15.05

$16.99 MX$298

-48.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NZ$4.20

$1.73 MX$30.40

41.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 NZ$8.93

$3.58 MX$62.7

45.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 NZ$7.86

$0.39 MX$6.79

1076.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.29 NZ$51.9

$18.69 MX$328

62.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$1.33 MX$23.25

78.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NZ$3.08

$0.28 MX$4.91

542.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.45 NZ$29.88

$5.25 MX$92.1

232.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.81

$1.34 MX$23.44

22.39%

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

$18.4K NZ$31.5K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

-5.28%

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

$21.8K NZ$37.3K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-8.60%

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

$89.6 NZ$153

$40.69 MX$714

120.25%

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

$36.80 NZ$63.0

$26.87 MX$471

36.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.79 NZ$81.8

$30.51 MX$535

56.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.51 NZ$60.8

$52.8 MX$926

-32.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.17 NZ$22.56

$26.65 MX$467

-50.58%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 NZ$15.65

$6.51 MX$114

40.40%

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

$993 NZ$1,700

$428 MX$7,508

131.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,069 NZ$10.4K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-42.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 NZ$97.5

$57.3 MX$1,004

-0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.10 NZ$63.5

$45.50 MX$798

-18.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 NZ$158

$104 MX$1,825

-11.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 NZ$155

$108 MX$1,891

-16.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 NZ$1,445

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-15.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 NZ$1,177

$623 MX$10.9K

10.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 NZ$2,688

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-25.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 NZ$2,382

$1,218 MX$21.4K

14.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,125 NZ$3,638

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-45.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,887 NZ$3,231

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-7.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,576 NZ$4,411

$1,038 MX$18.2K

148.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

11.34

-41.01%

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

Last update for Palmerston North: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $844 in Palmerston North and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palmerston North pays 148% 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: $73.0 in Palmerston North vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $292 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

Palmerston North vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palmerston North and Mexico City differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,662 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 148% higher in Palmerston North, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $844 in Palmerston North versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 62% less than in Palmerston North. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $993 in Palmerston North versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,662 in Palmerston North, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Palmerston North. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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, Palmerston North 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Palmerston North. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.