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: $1,960 in Quebec City versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,898 in Quebec City versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,837 in Quebec City versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Quebec City is roughly 34% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Quebec City 46% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.70 CA$23.12

$13.18 MX$228

26.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 CA$90.5

$53.9 MX$932

21.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.44

$9.42 MX$163

18.37%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.25

$3.55 MX$61.4

6.76%

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

$2.04 CA$2.83

$1.62 MX$27.98

25.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.11 MX$19.27

31.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.22

$3.12 MX$54.0

90.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.28 CA$8.70

$4.63 MX$80.1

35.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$1.70 MX$29.43

24.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 CA$4.58

$2.72 MX$47.02

21.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.91

$1.91 MX$33.07

123.56%

Eggs

$3.11 CA$4.30

$2.54 MX$43.86

22.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.79 CA$17.71

$10.03 MX$174

27.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 CA$14.96

$8.09 MX$140

33.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 CA$19.59

$11.62 MX$201

21.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.51

$2.97 MX$51.3

34.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CA$2.32

$1.81 MX$31.24

-7.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.84

$2.01 MX$34.82

109.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.68

$2.03 MX$35.20

102.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 CA$2.61

$2.12 MX$36.75

-10.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.48

$2.27 MX$39.25

10.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$1.40 MX$24.22

88.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.19

$1.13 MX$19.55

39.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.86 CA$17.81

$4.27 MX$73.9

201.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 CA$16.05

$15.56 MX$269

-25.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 CA$4.34

$1.76 MX$30.39

77.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 CA$5.42

$3.60 MX$62.2

8.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.90

$0.38 MX$6.62

642.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.9 CA$95.5

$19.18 MX$332

259.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$1.38 MX$23.79

173.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$0.28 MX$4.78

707.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.35 CA$43.41

$5.45 MX$94.2

475.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.30 MX$22.55

-4.62%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

33.26%

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

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-14.77%

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

$86.9 CA$120

$40.86 MX$707

112.58%

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

$38.53 CA$53.4

$26.81 MX$464

43.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.57 CA$61.7

$29.96 MX$518

48.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 CA$58.2

$52.0 MX$900

-19.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.63 CA$20.26

$26.84 MX$464

-45.49%

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 CA$15.07

$6.30 MX$109

72.70%

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

$845 CA$1,170

$436 MX$7,544

93.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,217 CA$8,609

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-40.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 CA$85.0

$56.7 MX$980

8.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 CA$74.2

$44.38 MX$768

20.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 CA$156

$103 MX$1,780

9.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 CA$178

$106 MX$1,825

21.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 CA$1,253

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-11.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 CA$1,148

$631 MX$10.9K

31.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 CA$2,083

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-29.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 CA$1,602

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-6.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,881 CA$8,142

$3,903 MX$67.5K

50.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,842 CA$3,934

$2,064 MX$35.7K

37.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,832 CA$3,921

$1,115 MX$19.3K

153.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

11.34

-39.42%

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

Last update for Quebec City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $905 in Quebec City and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quebec City pays 154% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 vs $288 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 34% in total monthly costs ($1,960 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Quebec City pays 154% more on average, 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: $905 in Quebec City versus $1,022 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 259% less than in Quebec City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $845 in Quebec City versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,960 in Quebec City, a $2,000 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 34% less than in Quebec City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.