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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $352 in Ratlam versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $522 in Ratlam versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $691 in Ratlam versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Ratlam costs roughly 76% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ratlam is 74% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Ratlam
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96 โ‚น184
$13.30 MX$231
-85.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$6.80 โ‚น638
$53.8 MX$932
-87.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.95 โ‚น277
$9.42 MX$163
-68.68%
Cappuccino
$1.58 โ‚น148
$3.59 MX$62.3
-55.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 โ‚น33.99
$1.62 MX$28.13
-77.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 โ‚น12.42
$1.12 MX$19.49
-88.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 โ‚น206
$3.25 MX$56.3
-32.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.30 โ‚น497
$4.65 MX$80.6
13.98%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Ratlam
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.62 โ‚น58.2
$1.64 MX$28.37
-62.20%
White Bread (500g)
$0.48 โ‚น45.09
$2.65 MX$46.00
-81.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.72 โ‚น67.5
$1.96 MX$33.99
-63.27%
Eggs
$0.82 โ‚น77.0
$2.54 MX$44.08
-67.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.90 โ‚น460
$9.97 MX$173
-50.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.31 โ‚น217
$8.39 MX$145
-72.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$11.83 MX$205
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.36 โ‚น222
$2.86 MX$49.62
-17.48%
Banana (1kg)
$0.45 โ‚น42.39
$1.73 MX$30.05
-73.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.01 โ‚น94.8
$1.99 MX$34.50
-49.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.80 โ‚น74.9
$2.05 MX$35.51
-60.98%
Potato (1kg)
$0.16 โ‚น14.95
$2.06 MX$35.64
-92.23%
Onion (1kg)
$0.22 โ‚น20.51
$2.28 MX$39.54
-90.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.50 โ‚น46.76
$1.45 MX$25.05
-65.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34 โ‚น31.71
$1.09 MX$18.83
-68.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 โ‚น335
$4.27 MX$73.9
-16.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.19 โ‚น487
$14.67 MX$254
-64.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 โ‚น151
$1.76 MX$30.58
-8.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 โ‚น210
$3.57 MX$61.8
-37.25%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.64 โ‚น530
-
-
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Ratlam
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 โ‚น26.01
$0.38 MX$6.67
-26.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.62 โ‚น809
$18.73 MX$325
-53.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.70 โ‚น65.9
$1.39 MX$24.09
-49.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.30 MX$5.26
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.49 โ‚น140
$5.41 MX$93.8
-72.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 โ‚น111
$1.34 MX$23.22
-11.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.3K โ‚น1.4M
$18.9K MX$326.7K
-18.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.9K โ‚น1.9M
$23.2K MX$402.0K
-14.03%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ratlam
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$28.76 โ‚น2,700
$40.30 MX$698
-28.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.96 โ‚น371
$27.15 MX$471
-85.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.89 โ‚น553
$29.46 MX$510
-80.01%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Ratlam
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$5.91 โ‚น555
$52.7 MX$914
-88.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.90 โ‚น648
$26.17 MX$454
-73.63%
Cinema Ticket
$3.42 โ‚น321
$6.18 MX$107
-44.66%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Ratlam
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$62.3 โ‚น5,849
$441 MX$7,637
-85.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,092 โ‚น102.5K
$10.7K MX$185.4K
-89.79%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Ratlam
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$7.91 โ‚น743
$57.2 MX$992
-86.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$9.39 โ‚น881
$45.04 MX$781
-79.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$17.64 โ‚น1,656
$103 MX$1,793
-82.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.04 โ‚น2,726
$109 MX$1,884
-73.29%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Ratlam
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$136 โ‚น12.7K
$1,000 MX$17.3K
-86.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$92.2 โ‚น8,655
$632 MX$11.0K
-85.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$175 โ‚น16.4K
$2,141 MX$37.1K
-91.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$144 โ‚น13.5K
$1,253 MX$21.7K
-88.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$969 โ‚น91.0K
$3,745 MX$64.9K
-74.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$517 โ‚น48.5K
$2,381 MX$41.3K
-78.30%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Ratlam
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$401 โ‚น37.6K
$1,079 MX$18.7K
-62.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.1
11.34
-19.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ratlam: April 22, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $136 in Ratlam and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 169% 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: $7 in Ratlam vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $96 vs $286 per month, with Ratlam 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
Ratlam vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ratlam and Mexico City?
Ratlam and Mexico City differ by about 316% in total monthly costs ($352 vs $1,466 including rent). Ratlam is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Mexico City earns 169% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ratlam and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $136 in Ratlam versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Ratlam and Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Ratlam runs roughly 117% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ratlam and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $62.3 in Ratlam versus $441 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $352 in Ratlam versus $1,466 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ratlam but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ratlam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ratlam and Mexico City?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Ratlam or Mexico City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ratlam 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.
Where should expats move: Ratlam or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Ratlam gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 316% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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