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: $2,745 in Squamish, BC versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,106 in Squamish, BC versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,467 in Squamish, BC versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Squamish, BC is roughly 88% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Squamish, BC 105% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.18 CA$21.29

$13.07 MX$229

16.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$103

$53.8 MX$943

37.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 CA$15.45

$9.68 MX$170

13.84%

Cappuccino

$4.24 CA$5.94

$3.74 MX$65.6

13.37%

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

$2.02 CA$2.84

$1.62 MX$28.34

24.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.16 MX$20.37

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 CA$8.33

$3.23 MX$56.6

83.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 CA$8.20

$4.74 MX$83.1

23.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 CA$2.56

$1.65 MX$28.89

10.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 CA$3.72

$2.75 MX$48.30

-3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.29

$1.87 MX$32.87

101.60%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.10

$2.50 MX$43.86

45.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 CA$14.52

$10.20 MX$179

1.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.71 CA$16.42

$8.25 MX$145

41.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.21 CA$28.34

$11.82 MX$207

70.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.73

$3.01 MX$52.8

11.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 CA$1.70

$1.81 MX$31.77

-33.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$2.00 MX$35.07

49.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 CA$4.71

$2.00 MX$35.00

68.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 CA$3.29

$2.08 MX$36.56

12.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 CA$2.90

$2.27 MX$39.85

-8.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.51

$1.46 MX$25.55

71.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.70

$1.08 MX$18.88

78.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$20.28

$4.35 MX$76.3

232.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 CA$14.78

$16.99 MX$298

-37.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.22

$1.73 MX$30.40

73.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CA$5.21

$3.58 MX$62.7

3.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$0.39 MX$6.79

284.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.24 CA$43.80

$18.69 MX$328

67.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$1.33 MX$23.25

103.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$0.28 MX$4.91

428.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 CA$40.13

$5.25 MX$92.1

445.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.77

$1.34 MX$23.44

-5.97%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

30.56%

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

$20.2K CA$28.3K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-15.30%

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

$124 CA$174

$40.69 MX$714

204.94%

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

$41.80 CA$58.6

$26.87 MX$471

55.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 CA$93.5

$30.51 MX$535

118.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 CA$74.5

$52.8 MX$926

0.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 CA$17.48

$6.51 MX$114

91.55%

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

$1,118 CA$1,567

$428 MX$7,508

161.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K CA$17.6K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

19.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 CA$78.1

$57.3 MX$1,004

-2.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 CA$62.3

$45.50 MX$798

-2.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$146

$104 MX$1,825

0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 CA$131

$108 MX$1,891

-13.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 CA$2,349

$1,003 MX$17.6K

67.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 CA$2,226

$623 MX$10.9K

154.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,371 CA$4,726

$2,109 MX$37.0K

59.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,961 CA$4,152

$1,218 MX$21.4K

143.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,834 CA$8,179

$3,885 MX$68.1K

50.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,067 CA$4,299

$1,038 MX$18.2K

195.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.34

-42.33%

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

Last update for Squamish, BC: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,676 in Squamish, BC and $1,003 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: $74.0 in Squamish, BC vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 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

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

Squamish, BC and Mexico City differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($2,745 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 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: $1,676 in Squamish, BC 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 67% less than in Squamish, BC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,118 in Squamish, BC 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 $2,745 in Squamish, BC, a $2,000 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 88% less than in Squamish, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.