🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,008 in Sun City versus $1,484 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,591 in Sun City versus $2,381 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,174 in Sun City versus $3,278 in Mexico City.
🙂Living in Sun City costs roughly 32% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Sun City is 25% below, Mexico City is 11% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Sun City
Mexico City
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.99R 184
$12.98MX$227
-15.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.62R 765
$53.1MX$929
-14.04%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.96R 83.1
$9.72MX$170
-48.97%
Cappuccino
$2.22R 37.28
$3.75MX$65.6
-40.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02R 17.18
$1.57MX$27.46
-35.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76R 12.76
$1.13MX$19.76
-32.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.74R 45.89
$3.18MX$55.7
-13.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49R 41.73
$4.66MX$81.6
-46.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sun City
Mexico City
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09R 18.27
$1.62MX$28.37
-32.72%
White Bread(500g)
$0.75R 12.53
$2.71MX$47.36
-72.32%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.66R 27.80
$1.88MX$32.89
-11.70%
Eggs
$2.45R 41.16
$2.51MX$43.90
-2.39%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.05R 135
$10.08MX$176
-20.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.83R 80.9
$8.29MX$145
-41.74%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.79R 114
$11.94MX$209
-43.13%
Apples(1kg)
$1.67R 28.01
$2.86MX$50.1
-41.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.52R 25.46
$1.75MX$30.62
-13.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52R 25.50
$2.08MX$36.48
-26.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59R 26.72
$1.97MX$34.46
-19.29%
Potato(1kg)
$1.49R 24.99
$2.16MX$37.79
-31.02%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45R 24.38
$2.18MX$38.16
-33.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06R 17.76
$1.39MX$24.34
-23.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.96R 16.06
$1.12MX$19.69
-14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.05R 51.1
$4.20MX$73.5
-27.38%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.94R 99.7
$14.25MX$249
-58.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.35R 22.66
$1.76MX$30.85
-23.30%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65R 27.64
$3.68MX$64.5
-55.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Sun City
Mexico City
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.61R 26.92
$0.39MX$6.74
312.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$18.66MX$327
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.09R 18.34
$1.39MX$24.26
-21.58%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.91R 15.22
$0.30MX$5.32
203.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.99R 66.9
$5.42MX$94.9
-26.38%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29R 21.58
$1.35MX$23.63
-4.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3KR 373.8K
$18.9KMX$330.5K
18.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0KR 402.0K
$23.2KMX$405.2K
3.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sun City
Mexico City
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$96.7R 1,622
$40.82MX$714
136.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.11R 673
$27.50MX$481
45.85%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.32R 727
$30.38MX$532
42.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sun City
Mexico City
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.75R 516
$53.4MX$935
-42.45%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.30MX$460
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.04R 51.1
$6.27MX$110
-51.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sun City
Mexico City
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$210R 3,522
$436MX$7,632
-51.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,957R 83.1K
$10.5KMX$183.2K
-52.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sun City
Mexico City
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.3R 844
$56.8MX$993
-11.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.58R 563
$44.79MX$784
-25.03%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$67.3R 1,128
$103MX$1,799
-34.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.2R 1,294
$108MX$1,888
-28.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sun City
Mexico City
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$364R 6,099
$1,000MX$17.5K
-63.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$337R 5,657
$620MX$10.9K
-45.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$698R 11.7K
$2,137MX$37.4K
-67.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$684R 11.5K
$1,235MX$21.6K
-44.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$701R 11.8K
$3,865MX$67.6K
-81.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$714R 12.0K
$2,332MX$40.8K
-69.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sun City
Mexico City
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,512R 25.4K
$1,067MX$18.7K
41.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.51
11.34
1.50%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Sun City: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in Sun City and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Sun City pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Sun City vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $286 per month, with Sun City cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Sun City vs Mexico City: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Sun City and Mexico City?
Sun City and Mexico City differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,008 vs $1,484 including rent). Sun City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Sun City or Mexico City?
Sun City pays 42% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Sun City and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $364 in Sun City versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sun City and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $210 in Sun City versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Sun City – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,008 in Sun City versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sun City but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sun City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sun City and Mexico City?
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.
Is Sun City or Mexico City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sun City 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.
Where should expats move: Sun City or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Sun City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Sun City vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado