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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,507 in Singapore versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,136 in Singapore versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,764 in Singapore versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Singapore is roughly 141% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Singapore 163% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.77 SGD 13.90

$13.07 MX$228

-17.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.1 SGD 101

$53.8 MX$936

45.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 SGD 9.78

$9.68 MX$169

-21.69%

Cappuccino

$4.84 SGD 6.25

$3.74 MX$65.1

29.41%

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

$1.70 SGD 2.19

$1.62 MX$28.13

4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 SGD 1.55

$1.16 MX$20.23

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SGD 10.13

$3.23 MX$56.2

143.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.15 SGD 11.81

$4.74 MX$82.5

93.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 SGD 3.96

$1.65 MX$28.68

86.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 SGD 3.07

$2.75 MX$47.95

-13.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 SGD 3.60

$1.87 MX$32.63

49.20%

Eggs

$3.29 SGD 4.24

$2.50 MX$43.54

31.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.19 SGD 24.78

$10.20 MX$178

88.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 SGD 14.74

$8.25 MX$144

38.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.61 SGD 29.18

$11.82 MX$206

91.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 SGD 5.88

$3.01 MX$52.4

51.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 SGD 3.85

$1.81 MX$31.54

64.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 SGD 6.40

$2.00 MX$34.81

147.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 SGD 3.53

$2.00 MX$34.74

37.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 SGD 3.25

$2.08 MX$36.30

21.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 SGD 2.80

$2.27 MX$39.56

-4.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 SGD 2.52

$1.46 MX$25.36

33.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SGD 1.93

$1.08 MX$18.74

37.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.20 SGD 17.04

$4.35 MX$75.7

203.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.04 SGD 29.74

$16.99 MX$296

35.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 SGD 5.38

$1.73 MX$30.18

141.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 SGD 6.66

$3.58 MX$62.3

44.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 SGD 2.06

$0.39 MX$6.74

307.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.0 SGD 121

$18.69 MX$325

402.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 SGD 4.75

$1.33 MX$23.08

176.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 SGD 0.94

$0.28 MX$4.87

157.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.54 SGD 21.35

$5.25 MX$91.5

215.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 SGD 2.84

$1.34 MX$23.27

64.18%

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

$142.5K SGD 183.9K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

634.09%

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

$127.5K SGD 164.6K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

434.94%

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

$156 SGD 201

$40.69 MX$709

282.16%

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

$18.63 SGD 24.05

$26.87 MX$468

-30.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.75 SGD 48.73

$30.51 MX$531

23.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 SGD 155

$52.8 MX$919

127.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 SGD 15.61

$26.65 MX$464

-54.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 SGD 14.89

$6.51 MX$113

77.11%

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

$1,190 SGD 1,536

$428 MX$7,454

177.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K SGD 37.6K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

177.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 SGD 108

$57.3 MX$997

45.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.55 SGD 54.9

$45.50 MX$792

-6.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SGD 139

$104 MX$1,812

3.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 SGD 166

$108 MX$1,878

18.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,209 SGD 4,142

$1,003 MX$17.5K

219.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,299 SGD 2,968

$623 MX$10.8K

269.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,127 SGD 7,909

$2,109 MX$36.7K

190.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,793 SGD 4,896

$1,218 MX$21.2K

211.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.3K SGD 30.0K

$3,885 MX$67.6K

499.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K SGD 21.2K

$2,033 MX$35.4K

706.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,969 SGD 5,124

$1,038 MX$18.1K

282.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.19

11.34

-71.87%

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

Last update for Singapore: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,209 in Singapore and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Singapore pays 282% 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: $78.0 in Singapore vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $292 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

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

Singapore and Mexico City differ by about 141% in total monthly costs ($3,507 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 282% higher in Singapore, 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: $3,209 in Singapore versus $1,003 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 403% less than in Singapore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,190 in Singapore versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $3,507 in Singapore, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Singapore. 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.

Safety-wise, Singapore 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.