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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,916 in Quebec City versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,897 in Quebec City versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,878 in Quebec City versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Quebec City is roughly 16% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Quebec City 39% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.22 CA$25.32

$12.11 MX$206

50.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 CA$90.9

$52.2 MX$887

25.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.26

$10.90 MX$185

0.73%

Cappuccino

$3.62 CA$5.03

$4.05 MX$68.9

-10.62%

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

$2.15 CA$2.99

$1.72 MX$29.15

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.38 MX$23.41

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.70 CA$7.92

$3.47 MX$58.9

64.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 CA$8.05

$5.81 MX$98.8

-0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 CA$2.84

$1.85 MX$31.50

10.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 CA$4.19

$3.22 MX$54.8

-6.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$2.09 MX$35.44

92.34%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.47

$2.91 MX$49.44

10.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.86 CA$12.31

$12.49 MX$212

-29.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.89 CA$15.14

$10.11 MX$172

7.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.70 CA$14.87

$15.89 MX$270

-32.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.17

$3.31 MX$56.3

34.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$2.13 MX$36.14

-30.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.39

$2.19 MX$37.22

77.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.57

$2.45 MX$41.59

63.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.04

$2.19 MX$37.20

32.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.11

$1.90 MX$32.37

55.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 CA$3.96

$1.62 MX$27.45

75.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.35 MX$22.94

12.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.25 CA$21.19

$5.43 MX$92.2

180.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 CA$15.81

$17.59 MX$299

-35.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.22

$2.07 MX$35.14

46.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 CA$4.75

$4.75 MX$80.7

-28.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.92

$0.34 MX$5.78

729.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.1 CA$102

$21.58 MX$367

238.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.04 MX$34.67

41.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$0.58 MX$9.82

156.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.87 CA$49.85

$5.97 MX$101

500.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.80

$1.62 MX$27.46

-19.75%

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

$28.9K CA$40.1K

$22.8K MX$387.6K

26.55%

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

$21.4K CA$29.7K

$26.7K MX$453.1K

-19.78%

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

$101 CA$141

$65.2 MX$1,109

55.27%

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

$31.98 CA$44.44

$29.87 MX$508

7.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.54 CA$64.7

$36.55 MX$621

27.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.95 CA$52.7

$61.0 MX$1,037

-37.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.32 CA$21.28

$26.70 MX$454

-42.62%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 CA$15.80

$6.85 MX$116

65.99%

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

$696 CA$968

$453 MX$7,705

53.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,397 CA$13.1K

$13.4K MX$227.2K

-29.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 CA$78.0

$75.0 MX$1,274

-25.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 CA$73.5

$55.3 MX$940

-4.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 CA$127

$114 MX$1,931

-19.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$146

$123 MX$2,084

-14.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 CA$1,416

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-10.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 CA$1,085

$712 MX$12.1K

9.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 CA$2,130

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-40.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 CA$1,768

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-2.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,312 CA$7,382

$3,993 MX$67.8K

33.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,848 CA$3,958

$2,095 MX$35.6K

35.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,183 CA$4,424

$1,047 MX$17.8K

204.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.45

11.3

-60.62%

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

Last update for Quebec City: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,019 in Quebec City and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quebec City pays 204% 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: $65.0 in Quebec City vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $345 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

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

Quebec City and Mexico City differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,916 vs $1,646 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 204% higher in Quebec City, 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: $1,019 in Quebec City 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 Mexico City runs roughly 239% less than in Quebec City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $696 in Quebec City versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,916 in Quebec City, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Quebec City. 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Quebec City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.