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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $217 in Sumba versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $290 in Sumba versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $364 in Sumba versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Sumba costs roughly 87% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sumba is 84% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 FOK 14.87

$1.85 MX$31.33

24.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.84 FOK 69.9

$5.43 MX$91.7

99.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.17 FOK 78.5

$17.59 MX$297

-30.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 FOK 15.49

$2.07 MX$34.96

15.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 FOK 11.87

$4.75 MX$80.2

-61.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.64 FOK 29.91

$0.34 MX$5.75

1264.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 FOK 13.34

$1.62 MX$27.31

27.78%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

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

$29.87 MX$505

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 FOK 396

$36.55 MX$618

67.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.73 FOK 250

$61.0 MX$1,031

-36.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$15.64 FOK 101

$6.85 MX$116

128.32%

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

$453 MX$7,664

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Sumba: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

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

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

Sumba and Mexico City differ by about 658% in total monthly costs ($217 vs $1,646 including rent). Sumba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $326 in Sumba and $2,469 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 447% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $217 per month in Sumba versus $1,646 in Mexico City – a 658% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $217 in Sumba versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sumba but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sumba 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, Sumba 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 Sumba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 658% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.