Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,860 in Sydney, NS versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,779 in Sydney, NS versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,698 in Sydney, NS versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Sydney, NS is roughly 28% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney, NS 39% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.82 CA$16.64

$13.07 MX$228

-9.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 CA$88.6

$53.8 MX$936

17.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 CA$10.32

$9.68 MX$169

-24.17%

Cappuccino

$2.88 CA$4.06

$3.74 MX$65.1

-22.99%

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

$2.25 CA$3.17

$1.62 MX$28.13

38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.79

$1.16 MX$20.23

70.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 CA$7.66

$3.23 MX$56.2

68.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$4.74 MX$82.5

24.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CA$3.20

$1.65 MX$28.68

37.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$2.75 MX$47.95

-2.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.52

$1.87 MX$32.63

33.69%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$2.50 MX$43.54

35.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 CA$9.40

$10.20 MX$178

-34.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 CA$11.58

$8.25 MX$144

-0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 CA$18.93

$11.82 MX$206

13.79%

Apples (1kg)

$7.46 CA$10.50

$3.01 MX$52.4

147.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$1.81 MX$31.54

-33.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.09

$2.00 MX$34.81

81.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 CA$2.02

$2.00 MX$34.74

-28.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 CA$1.23

$2.08 MX$36.30

-57.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.55

$2.27 MX$39.56

11.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.53

$1.46 MX$25.36

71.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.08 MX$18.74

57.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.15 CA$25.54

$4.35 MX$75.7

317.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 CA$4.02

$1.73 MX$30.18

65.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 CA$6.24

$3.58 MX$62.3

24.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 CA$1.57

$0.39 MX$6.74

184.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.2 CA$70.6

$18.69 MX$325

168.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 CA$6.32

$1.33 MX$23.08

237.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$0.28 MX$4.87

432.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.46 CA$35.82

$5.25 MX$91.5

384.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.64

$1.34 MX$23.27

-13.43%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

31.25%

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

$20.4K CA$28.7K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

-14.45%

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

$91.6 CA$129

$40.69 MX$709

125.12%

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

$48.19 CA$67.8

$26.87 MX$468

79.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 CA$106

$30.51 MX$531

148.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 CA$72.1

$52.8 MX$919

-2.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.74 CA$5.26

$26.65 MX$464

-85.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 CA$11.23

$6.51 MX$113

22.58%

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

$746 CA$1,050

$428 MX$7,454

74.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.5K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

11.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 CA$99.7

$57.3 MX$997

23.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CA$96.5

$45.50 MX$792

50.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$143

$104 MX$1,812

-2.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$108 MX$1,878

1.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 CA$1,557

$1,003 MX$17.5K

10.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 CA$1,117

$623 MX$10.8K

27.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,957 CA$2,754

$2,109 MX$36.7K

-7.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 CA$2,038

$1,218 MX$21.2K

18.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,534 CA$3,566

$1,038 MX$18.1K

144.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

11.34

-39.59%

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

Last update for Sydney, NS: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,106 in Sydney, NS and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney, NS pays 144% 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: $63.0 in Sydney, NS vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 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

Sydney, NS vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sydney, NS and Mexico City differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,860 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 144% higher in Sydney, NS, 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: $1,106 in Sydney, NS 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 168% less than in Sydney, NS. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $746 in Sydney, NS 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 $1,860 in Sydney, NS, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Sydney, NS. 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 28% less than in Sydney, NS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.