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: $216 in Sumba versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $287 in Sumba versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $358 in Sumba versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Sumba costs roughly 85% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sumba is 84% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 FOK 15.17

$1.70 MX$29.43

39.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 FOK 68.4

$4.27 MX$73.9

149.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 FOK 78.2

$15.56 MX$269

-21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 FOK 14.67

$1.76 MX$30.39

30.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 FOK 12.23

$3.60 MX$62.2

-46.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.52 FOK 28.95

$0.38 MX$6.62

1089.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 FOK 12.58

$1.30 MX$22.55

50.77%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

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

$26.81 MX$464

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 FOK 392

$29.96 MX$518

103.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.25 FOK 252

$52.0 MX$900

-24.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$15.61 FOK 100

$6.30 MX$109

147.78%

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Sumba: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 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 581% in total monthly costs ($216 vs $1,467 including rent). Sumba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $323 in Sumba and $2,201 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 356% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $216 per month in Sumba versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 581% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $216 in Sumba versus $1,467 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 581% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.