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: $2,729 in Squamish, BC versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,148 in Squamish, BC versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,567 in Squamish, BC versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Squamish, BC is roughly 86% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Squamish, BC 104% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 CA$21.81

$13.18 MX$228

19.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 CA$101

$53.9 MX$932

35.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.02

$9.42 MX$163

15.18%

Cappuccino

$4.14 CA$5.73

$3.55 MX$61.4

16.62%

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

$1.97 CA$2.73

$1.62 MX$27.98

21.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.11 MX$19.27

34.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 CA$8.00

$3.12 MX$54.0

85.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 CA$8.20

$4.63 MX$80.1

27.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.55

$1.70 MX$29.43

8.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.78

$2.72 MX$47.02

0.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.02

$1.91 MX$33.07

89.53%

Eggs

$3.64 CA$5.04

$2.54 MX$43.86

43.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 CA$14.15

$10.03 MX$174

1.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.75 CA$16.26

$8.09 MX$140

45.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.46 CA$28.33

$11.62 MX$201

76.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.86

$2.97 MX$51.3

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.81 MX$31.24

-32.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.10

$2.01 MX$34.82

47.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.88

$2.03 MX$35.20

73.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.42

$2.12 MX$36.75

16.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.80

$2.27 MX$39.25

-11.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 CA$3.39

$1.40 MX$24.22

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CA$2.75

$1.13 MX$19.55

76.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.70 CA$20.36

$4.27 MX$73.9

244.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 CA$15.06

$15.56 MX$269

-30.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.17

$1.76 MX$30.39

71.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 CA$5.02

$3.60 MX$62.2

0.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 CA$2.00

$0.38 MX$6.62

281.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.49 CA$43.60

$19.18 MX$332

64.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 CA$3.85

$1.38 MX$23.79

101.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 CA$2.12

$0.28 MX$4.78

446.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.82 CA$39.90

$5.45 MX$94.2

428.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.30 MX$22.55

-3.85%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

34.72%

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

$20.0K CA$27.7K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-13.52%

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

$123 CA$171

$40.86 MX$707

202.15%

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

$41.85 CA$58.0

$26.81 MX$464

56.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.6 CA$90.9

$29.96 MX$518

119.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 CA$71.7

$52.0 MX$900

-0.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$12.46 CA$17.26

$6.30 MX$109

97.78%

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

$1,115 CA$1,544

$436 MX$7,544

155.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K CA$17.2K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

19.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 CA$77.2

$56.7 MX$980

-1.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.96 CA$60.9

$44.38 MX$768

-0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$143

$103 MX$1,780

0.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 CA$134

$106 MX$1,825

-8.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,666 CA$2,306

$1,022 MX$17.7K

62.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 CA$2,202

$631 MX$10.9K

152.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,320 CA$4,596

$2,136 MX$36.9K

55.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,933 CA$4,062

$1,243 MX$21.5K

136.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,982 CA$8,283

$3,903 MX$67.5K

53.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,216 CA$4,453

$1,115 MX$19.3K

188.40%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,666 in Squamish, BC and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Squamish, BC pays 188% 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: $73.0 in Squamish, BC vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 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

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

Squamish, BC and Mexico City differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($2,729 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Squamish, BC pays 188% 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: $1,666 in Squamish, BC 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 64% less than in Squamish, BC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,115 in Squamish, BC 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 $2,729 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 86% less than in Squamish, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.