๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $386 in Rupnagar versus $1,466 in Mexico City.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $601 in Rupnagar versus $2,325 in Mexico City.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $816 in Rupnagar versus $3,184 in Mexico City.
๐Living in Rupnagar costs roughly 74% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Rupnagar is 71% below, Mexico City is 9% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Rupnagar
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.53โน331
$13.30MX$231
-73.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$9.65โน906
$53.8MX$932
-82.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.96โน278
$9.42MX$163
-68.58%
Cappuccino
$1.37โน128
$3.59MX$62.3
-61.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36โน34.08
$1.62MX$28.13
-77.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.20โน18.63
$1.12MX$19.49
-82.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.30โน122
$3.25MX$56.3
-60.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22โน208
$4.65MX$80.6
-52.26%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Rupnagar
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.60โน56.2
$1.64MX$28.37
-63.41%
White Bread(500g)
$0.44โน41.55
$2.65MX$46.00
-83.40%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.60โน56.2
$1.96MX$33.99
-69.39%
Eggs
$0.93โน87.1
$2.54MX$44.08
-63.39%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.94โน558
$9.97MX$173
-40.42%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.40โน225
$8.39MX$145
-71.39%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$11.83MX$205
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.44โน135
$2.86MX$49.62
-49.65%
Banana(1kg)
$0.71โน66.5
$1.73MX$30.05
-58.96%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.61โน56.9
$1.99MX$34.50
-69.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.63โน59.0
$2.05MX$35.51
-69.27%
Potato(1kg)
$0.39โน36.87
$2.06MX$35.64
-81.07%
Onion(1kg)
$0.39โน36.68
$2.28MX$39.54
-82.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.74โน69.5
$1.45MX$25.05
-48.97%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.36โน33.97
$1.09MX$18.83
-66.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53โน425
$4.27MX$73.9
6.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.27โน495
$14.67MX$254
-64.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14โน107
$1.76MX$30.58
-35.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01โน189
$3.57MX$61.8
-43.70%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$4.75โน446
-
-
๐ Getting Around
Rupnagar
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.30โน28.36
$0.38MX$6.67
-21.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.94โน840
$18.73MX$325
-52.27%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.14โน107
$1.39MX$24.09
-17.99%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$0.30MX$5.26
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.31โน217
$5.41MX$93.8
-57.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.17โน110
$1.34MX$23.22
-12.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$8,302โน779.2K
$18.9KMX$326.7K
-55.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.5Kโน1.6M
$23.2KMX$402.0K
-24.36%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rupnagar
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$53.2โน4,988
$40.30MX$698
31.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.89โน271
$27.15MX$471
-89.36%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.73โน538
$29.46MX$510
-80.55%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Rupnagar
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$9.93โน932
$52.7MX$914
-81.17%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96โน653
$26.17MX$454
-73.40%
Cinema Ticket
$2.86โน268
$6.18MX$107
-53.72%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Rupnagar
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$89.9โน8,440
$441MX$7,637
-79.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,697โน159.3K
$10.7KMX$185.4K
-84.14%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Rupnagar
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.57โน2,493
$57.2MX$992
-53.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.12โน2,546
$45.04MX$781
-39.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$35.00โน3,285
$103MX$1,793
-66.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$34.67โน3,254
$109MX$1,884
-68.11%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Rupnagar
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$126โน11.9K
$1,000MX$17.3K
-87.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$76.1โน7,145
$632MX$11.0K
-87.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$270โน25.3K
$2,141MX$37.1K
-87.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$182โน17.0K
$1,253MX$21.7K
-85.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$922โน86.5K
$3,745MX$64.9K
-75.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$579โน54.3K
$2,381MX$41.3K
-75.70%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Rupnagar
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,079MX$18.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.95
11.34
-21.08%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rupnagar: April 20, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Rupnagar and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $10 in Rupnagar vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $93 vs $286 per month, with Rupnagar 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
Rupnagar vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Rupnagar and Mexico City?
Rupnagar and Mexico City differ by about 280% in total monthly costs ($386 vs $1,466 including rent). Rupnagar is meaningfully more affordable โ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Rupnagar compared to Mexico City?
You'd need roughly $579 in Rupnagar and $2,199 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Rupnagar and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $126 in Rupnagar 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 Rupnagar and Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Rupnagar runs roughly 110% 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 Rupnagar and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $89.9 in Rupnagar 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 $1,500 per month?
At $386 in Rupnagar versus $1,466 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rupnagar but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Rupnagar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Rupnagar 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.
Where should expats move: Rupnagar or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Rupnagar gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 280% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.