Cost of Living Comparison Between Squamish, BC and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Squamish, BC and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,622 in Squamish, BC versus $1,668 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,923 in Squamish, BC versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,224 in Squamish, BC versus $3,557 in Mexico City.

Living in Squamish, BC is roughly 57% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Squamish, BC 95% above, Mexico City 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.81 CA$20.94

$12.03 MX$213

23.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 CA$80.7

$52.8 MX$934

8.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 CA$14.72

$11.69 MX$207

-10.95%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.64

$3.87 MX$68.4

3.10%

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

$1.85 CA$2.61

$1.75 MX$30.94

5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.19

$1.39 MX$24.65

11.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.71 CA$8.08

$3.36 MX$59.4

69.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$8.12

$5.77 MX$102

-0.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 CA$2.52

$1.81 MX$31.92

-1.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 CA$3.13

$3.08 MX$54.5

-28.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.14

$2.13 MX$37.65

70.89%

Eggs

$3.23 CA$4.56

$2.98 MX$52.6

8.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 CA$17.47

$12.53 MX$221

-1.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.08 CA$21.33

$10.24 MX$181

47.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.82 CA$28.02

$15.92 MX$281

24.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.63 CA$7.97

$3.39 MX$59.8

66.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.76

$2.11 MX$37.24

-41.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.29

$2.13 MX$37.59

75.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.03

$2.47 MX$43.61

44.13%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.76

$2.04 MX$36.03

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.65

$2.01 MX$35.59

28.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CA$3.60

$1.59 MX$28.15

60.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.59

$1.33 MX$23.50

37.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.85 CA$22.42

$5.49 MX$97.0

188.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 CA$14.83

$17.52 MX$310

-40.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.96

$2.01 MX$35.61

39.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 CA$5.11

$4.74 MX$83.8

-23.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 CA$2.07

$0.34 MX$5.94

329.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.57 CA$43.23

$21.07 MX$373

45.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.17

$2.05 MX$36.28

78.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.97

$0.61 MX$10.75

129.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.13 CA$35.53

$5.70 MX$101

340.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.63

$1.59 MX$28.09

-27.67%

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

$26.2K CA$37.1K

$22.9K MX$404.6K

14.54%

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

$19.2K CA$27.2K

$26.4K MX$466.2K

-27.12%

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

$116 CA$165

$64.2 MX$1,135

81.21%

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

$43.58 CA$61.6

$29.42 MX$520

48.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 CA$91.9

$36.83 MX$651

76.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 CA$73.3

$58.7 MX$1,038

-11.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$11.24 CA$15.89

$6.95 MX$123

61.73%

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

$374 CA$528

$463 MX$8,180

-19.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,823 CA$11.1K

$13.4K MX$236.2K

-41.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 CA$74.6

$75.4 MX$1,333

-30.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.44 CA$50.1

$54.2 MX$958

-34.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 CA$113

$111 MX$1,965

-28.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 CA$142

$122 MX$2,160

-18.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 CA$2,297

$1,133 MX$20.0K

43.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 CA$2,109

$698 MX$12.3K

113.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,206 CA$4,533

$2,442 MX$43.2K

31.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,862 CA$4,046

$1,303 MX$23.0K

119.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,912 CA$8,359

$3,910 MX$69.1K

51.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,107 CA$4,394

$1,052 MX$18.6K

195.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

11.3

-58.23%

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

Last update for Squamish, BC: September 22, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,625 in Squamish, BC and $1,133 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Squamish, BC pays 195% 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: $57.0 in Squamish, BC vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $343 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

Squamish, BC vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Squamish, BC and Mexico City differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($2,622 vs $1,668 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 195% higher in Squamish, BC, 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: $1,625 in Squamish, BC versus $1,133 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 45% less than in Squamish, BC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $374 in Squamish, BC versus $463 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,668 in Mexico City versus $2,622 in Squamish, BC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Squamish, BC. 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Squamish, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.