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: $3,651 in Singapore versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,223 in Singapore versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,796 in Singapore versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Singapore is roughly 149% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Singapore 172% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.73 SGD 13.78

$13.18 MX$228

-18.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 SGD 101

$53.9 MX$931

45.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 SGD 10.13

$9.42 MX$163

-16.35%

Cappuccino

$4.92 SGD 6.32

$3.55 MX$61.3

38.59%

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

$1.63 SGD 2.10

$1.62 MX$27.95

0.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.58

$1.11 MX$19.25

10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SGD 10.08

$3.12 MX$53.9

151.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.61 SGD 12.34

$4.63 MX$80.0

107.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 SGD 3.95

$1.70 MX$29.40

80.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 SGD 3.10

$2.72 MX$46.97

-11.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 SGD 3.61

$1.91 MX$33.04

47.12%

Eggs

$3.37 SGD 4.34

$2.54 MX$43.82

32.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 SGD 24.85

$10.03 MX$173

92.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 SGD 14.59

$8.09 MX$140

40.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.95 SGD 29.49

$11.62 MX$201

97.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 SGD 5.81

$2.97 MX$51.3

52.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SGD 3.78

$1.81 MX$31.21

62.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.86 SGD 6.25

$2.01 MX$34.79

141.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 SGD 3.38

$2.03 MX$35.16

29.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 SGD 3.18

$2.12 MX$36.71

16.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 SGD 2.78

$2.27 MX$39.21

-4.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 SGD 2.58

$1.40 MX$24.20

43.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SGD 1.94

$1.13 MX$19.53

33.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.24 SGD 17.01

$4.27 MX$73.8

210.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.27 SGD 32.47

$15.56 MX$269

62.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.31 SGD 5.54

$1.76 MX$30.36

144.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 SGD 6.68

$3.60 MX$62.1

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 SGD 2.03

$0.38 MX$6.62

315.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.7 SGD 120

$19.18 MX$331

388.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 SGD 4.50

$1.38 MX$23.77

154.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 SGD 1.00

$0.28 MX$4.78

175.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.11 SGD 20.70

$5.45 MX$94.1

195.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 SGD 2.82

$1.30 MX$22.53

69.23%

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

$142.1K SGD 182.6K

$18.7K MX$322.9K

660.69%

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

$129.1K SGD 165.9K

$23.1K MX$399.7K

458.20%

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

$160 SGD 205

$40.86 MX$706

291.39%

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

$18.36 SGD 23.58

$26.81 MX$463

-31.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.57 SGD 46.98

$29.96 MX$518

22.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$117 SGD 150

$52.0 MX$899

124.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.39 SGD 15.92

$26.84 MX$464

-53.84%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 SGD 14.97

$6.30 MX$109

84.92%

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

$1,184 SGD 1,521

$436 MX$7,536

171.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K SGD 38.4K

$10.4K MX$180.0K

186.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 SGD 106

$56.7 MX$979

45.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.04 SGD 55.3

$44.38 MX$767

-3.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SGD 138

$103 MX$1,779

4.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 SGD 168

$106 MX$1,823

24.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,101 SGD 3,984

$1,022 MX$17.7K

203.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 SGD 2,929

$631 MX$10.9K

261.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,201 SGD 7,967

$2,136 MX$36.9K

190.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,793 SGD 4,873

$1,243 MX$21.5K

205.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.5K SGD 30.2K

$3,903 MX$67.4K

501.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K SGD 21.2K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

700.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,285 SGD 5,505

$1,115 MX$19.3K

284.27%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,101 in Singapore and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Singapore pays 284% 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 $457 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

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

Singapore and Mexico City differ by about 149% in total monthly costs ($3,651 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Singapore pays 284% 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: $3,101 in Singapore 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 389% less than in Singapore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,184 in Singapore 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 $3,651 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 149% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.