Cost of Living Comparison Between Pogradec and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Pogradec and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,012 in Pogradec versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,536 in Pogradec versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,059 in Pogradec versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Pogradec costs roughly 31% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pogradec is 24% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.45 ALL 687

$13.14 MX$227

-35.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.70 ALL 3,063

$53.5 MX$926

-29.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 ALL 588

$9.33 MX$161

-22.40%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ALL 77.2

$3.70 MX$64.0

-74.32%

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

$1.60 ALL 130

$1.60 MX$27.76

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ALL 55.9

$1.12 MX$19.34

-38.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ALL 113

$3.14 MX$54.3

-55.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ALL 213

$4.85 MX$83.9

-45.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ALL 162

$1.65 MX$28.61

21.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ALL 73.0

$2.71 MX$46.96

-66.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ALL 157

$1.91 MX$33.03

1.57%

Eggs

$2.06 ALL 168

$2.59 MX$44.81

-20.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 ALL 607

$9.81 MX$170

-23.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.22 ALL 343

$8.43 MX$146

-49.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 ALL 1,080

$11.93 MX$206

11.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ALL 95.0

$2.95 MX$51.1

-60.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 ALL 199

$1.74 MX$30.10

40.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 ALL 117

$2.04 MX$35.38

-29.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ALL 93.6

$2.06 MX$35.64

-44.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ALL 74.8

$2.15 MX$37.20

-57.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ALL 77.6

$2.26 MX$39.02

-57.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ALL 79.6

$1.39 MX$23.97

-29.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ALL 62.8

$1.12 MX$19.31

-31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ALL 327

$4.22 MX$73.0

-4.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 ALL 813

$17.51 MX$303

-42.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ALL 93.8

$1.71 MX$29.58

-32.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ALL 141

$3.63 MX$62.8

-52.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.04

$0.35 MX$6.10

37.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.10 ALL 1,551

$19.32 MX$334

-1.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ALL 279

$1.38 MX$23.80

149.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ALL 126

$0.28 MX$4.77

453.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.75 ALL 1,442

$5.28 MX$91.3

236.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 ALL 177

$1.36 MX$23.50

59.56%

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

$34.9K ALL 2.8M

$19.1K MX$330.5K

82.56%

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

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

$23.6K MX$408.4K

5.47%

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

$68.4 ALL 5,557

$40.53 MX$701

68.76%

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

$17.21 ALL 1,398

$27.38 MX$474

-37.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.15 ALL 1,312

$30.38 MX$526

-46.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 ALL 4,544

$52.2 MX$903

7.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.92 ALL 2,025

$26.48 MX$458

-5.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 ALL 649

$6.19 MX$107

29.08%

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

$95.1 ALL 7,724

$425 MX$7,355

-77.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.49 ALL 3,858

$58.3 MX$1,009

-18.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 ALL 4,308

$44.57 MX$771

18.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 ALL 7,609

$103 MX$1,791

-9.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 ALL 11.5K

$109 MX$1,881

29.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ALL 37.0K

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-55.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 ALL 27.5K

$623 MX$10.8K

-45.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ALL 50.2K

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-70.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 ALL 35.0K

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-64.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 ALL 126.0K

$3,792 MX$65.6K

-59.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,448 ALL 117.7K

$2,110 MX$36.5K

-31.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$465 ALL 37.8K

$1,052 MX$18.2K

-55.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-64.73%

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

Last update for Pogradec: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Pogradec and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 126% 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: $38.00 in Pogradec vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $293 per month, with Pogradec 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

Pogradec vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pogradec and Mexico City differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,012 vs $1,472 including rent). Pogradec is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 126% 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: $455 in Pogradec versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pogradec runs roughly 1% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $95.1 in Pogradec versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,012 in Pogradec versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pogradec but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pogradec 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 Pogradec gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.