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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,139 in Rarotonga versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,617 in Rarotonga versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,096 in Rarotonga versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Rarotonga costs roughly 32% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rarotonga is 17% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.77 NZ$25.39

$12.14 MX$206

21.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 NZ$90.7

$53.9 MX$914

-2.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 NZ$9.91

$11.09 MX$188

-48.06%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NZ$5.91

$4.10 MX$69.5

-16.10%

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

$2.30 NZ$3.95

$1.68 MX$28.53

36.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NZ$3.93

$1.39 MX$23.55

64.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.28 NZ$9.07

$3.33 MX$56.5

58.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 NZ$9.13

$5.88 MX$99.7

-9.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.85 NZ$4.90

$1.85 MX$31.41

54.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 NZ$5.20

$3.17 MX$53.8

-4.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

Eggs

$6.25 NZ$10.74

$2.93 MX$49.67

113.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 NZ$13.31

$12.59 MX$214

-38.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 NZ$20.49

$5.77 MX$97.8

106.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 NZ$20.17

$17.74 MX$301

-33.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 NZ$5.95

$2.07 MX$35.11

67.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 NZ$9.29

$4.61 MX$78.3

17.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 NZ$5.02

$0.37 MX$6.21

689.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.77 NZ$35.72

$2.05 MX$34.84

913.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.89 NZ$61.7

$6.07 MX$103

491.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 NZ$3.09

$1.55 MX$26.34

16.13%

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

$11.7K NZ$20.2K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

-48.70%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

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

$103 NZ$176

$67.4 MX$1,144

52.20%

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

$49.34 NZ$84.8

$30.62 MX$520

61.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$108 NZ$186

$37.24 MX$632

190.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

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

$456 MX$7,739

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,417 NZ$2,437

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-89.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 NZ$815

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-58.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 NZ$796

$709 MX$12.0K

-34.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 NZ$1,221

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-72.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 NZ$1,129

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-49.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,121 NZ$7,085

$1,082 MX$18.4K

280.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Rarotonga: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Rarotonga and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rarotonga pays 281% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Rarotonga vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $159 vs $345 per month, with Rarotonga 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

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

Rarotonga and Mexico City differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,139 vs $1,677 including rent). Rarotonga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 281% higher in Rarotonga, 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: $474 in Rarotonga versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rarotonga – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,139 per month in Rarotonga versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,139 in Rarotonga versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rarotonga but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Rarotonga 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, Rarotonga 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 Rarotonga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.