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: $1,007 in Pogradec versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,499 in Pogradec versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,991 in Pogradec versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Pogradec costs roughly 30% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pogradec is 25% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 ALL 655

$12.98 MX$223

-38.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.69 ALL 3,079

$52.6 MX$903

-28.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 ALL 595

$9.43 MX$162

-22.80%

Cappuccino

$0.93 ALL 75.7

$3.57 MX$61.3

-73.95%

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

$1.60 ALL 131

$1.61 MX$27.55

-0.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ALL 56.8

$1.15 MX$19.81

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 ALL 112

$3.15 MX$54.0

-56.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ALL 206

$4.86 MX$83.4

-48.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ALL 165

$1.70 MX$29.17

18.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ALL 69.5

$2.64 MX$45.23

-67.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ALL 165

$1.90 MX$32.67

6.32%

Eggs

$2.06 ALL 168

$2.54 MX$43.62

-18.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ALL 607

$10.08 MX$173

-26.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 ALL 338

$8.29 MX$142

-50.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 ALL 1,076

$11.57 MX$199

13.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ALL 94.9

$3.03 MX$52.0

-61.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$1.71 MX$29.35

38.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ALL 113

$2.05 MX$35.16

-32.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ALL 98.2

$2.06 MX$35.36

-41.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ALL 75.8

$2.06 MX$35.43

-54.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ALL 79.1

$2.17 MX$37.25

-55.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ALL 79.3

$1.40 MX$24.08

-30.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ALL 58.6

$1.12 MX$19.26

-35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ALL 324

$4.29 MX$73.7

-7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 ALL 811

$15.41 MX$265

-35.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ALL 95.3

$1.67 MX$28.74

-29.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ALL 144

$3.69 MX$63.3

-52.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.34

$0.38 MX$6.55

26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 ALL 1,557

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 ALL 283

$1.38 MX$23.70

151.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 ALL 130

$0.28 MX$4.74

471.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.57 ALL 1,436

$5.42 MX$92.9

224.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 172

$1.28 MX$21.98

64.84%

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

$34.0K ALL 2.8M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

78.99%

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

$25.0K ALL 2.0M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

6.38%

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

$67.0 ALL 5,476

$41.02 MX$704

63.41%

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

$17.67 ALL 1,444

$26.92 MX$462

-34.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.99 ALL 1,306

$29.69 MX$510

-46.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 ALL 4,520

$52.3 MX$898

5.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.27 ALL 2,064

$26.23 MX$450

-3.66%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ALL 658

$6.18 MX$106

30.26%

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

$94.0 ALL 7,680

$427 MX$7,331

-77.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.63 ALL 3,810

$56.8 MX$975

-17.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 ALL 4,378

$44.83 MX$769

19.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 ALL 7,830

$105 MX$1,794

-8.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 ALL 11.6K

$106 MX$1,819

34.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ALL 36.2K

$995 MX$17.1K

-55.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ALL 27.6K

$621 MX$10.7K

-45.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ALL 49.9K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-71.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ALL 35.7K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-65.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,552 ALL 126.8K

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-60.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ALL 118.6K

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-30.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$462 ALL 37.7K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-58.29%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $443 in Pogradec and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 140% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $288 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 44% in total monthly costs ($1,007 vs $1,447 including rent). Pogradec is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 140% 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: $443 in Pogradec versus $995 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 0% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $94.0 in Pogradec versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,007 in Pogradec versus $1,447 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 44% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.