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: $1,673 in Sydney, NS versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,593 in Sydney, NS versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,513 in Sydney, NS versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Sydney, NS is roughly 2% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney, NS 22% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.47 CA$15.87

$12.11 MX$204

-5.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.9 CA$91.2

$52.2 MX$881

26.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 CA$10.67

$10.90 MX$184

-29.27%

Cappuccino

$2.87 CA$3.97

$4.05 MX$68.4

-29.14%

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

$2.31 CA$3.20

$1.72 MX$28.95

34.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 CA$3.01

$1.38 MX$23.25

57.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.16

$1.85 MX$31.28

23.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$3.22 MX$54.4

-20.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.40

$2.09 MX$35.20

17.70%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.70

$2.91 MX$49.10

16.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.37 CA$8.81

$12.49 MX$211

-49.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 CA$11.65

$10.11 MX$171

-16.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 CA$18.21

$15.89 MX$268

-17.18%

Apples (1kg)

$7.05 CA$9.76

$3.31 MX$56.0

112.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$2.13 MX$35.90

-42.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.97

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 CA$1.94

$2.45 MX$41.31

-42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 CA$1.13

$2.19 MX$36.95

-62.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.77

$1.90 MX$32.15

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.35 CA$8.79

$1.62 MX$27.26

291.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.78

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.82 CA$24.66

$5.43 MX$91.6

228.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 CA$5.94

$4.75 MX$80.1

-9.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$0.34 MX$5.74

223.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.95 CA$67.7

$21.58 MX$364

126.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 CA$5.92

$2.04 MX$34.44

109.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.60

$1.62 MX$27.27

-28.40%

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

$26.9K CA$37.2K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

17.88%

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

$19.1K CA$26.4K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

-28.48%

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

$90.6 CA$125

$65.2 MX$1,101

38.90%

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

$35.48 CA$49.10

$29.87 MX$504

18.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 CA$104

$36.55 MX$617

104.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.57 CA$68.6

$61.0 MX$1,030

-18.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$26.70 MX$451

-86.40%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 CA$9.87

$6.85 MX$116

4.23%

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

$721 CA$998

$453 MX$7,652

59.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 CA$95.6

$75.0 MX$1,265

-7.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 CA$94.7

$55.3 MX$933

23.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$141

$114 MX$1,917

-10.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$150

$123 MX$2,070

-11.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$920 CA$1,272

$1,134 MX$19.1K

-18.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 CA$1,005

$712 MX$12.0K

1.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 CA$2,530

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-28.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 CA$1,954

$1,311 MX$22.1K

7.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,568 CA$3,554

$1,047 MX$17.7K

145.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.8

11.3

-48.67%

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

Last update for Sydney, NS: September 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $920 in Sydney, NS and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sydney, NS pays 145% 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: $66.0 in Sydney, NS vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $345, with Sydney, NS cheaper for home cooking.

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 2% in total monthly costs ($1,673 vs $1,646 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 145% 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: $920 in Sydney, NS versus $1,134 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 127% less than in Sydney, NS. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $721 in Sydney, NS versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,673 in Sydney, NS, a $3,000 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 2% less than in Sydney, NS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.