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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $624 in Tema versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $995 in Tema versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,365 in Tema versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Tema costs roughly 57% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tema is 53% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 GHS 83.0

$13.07 MX$229

-44.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.76 GHS 321

$53.8 MX$943

-48.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 GHS 90.3

$9.68 MX$170

-19.21%

Cappuccino

$1.46 GHS 16.84

$3.74 MX$65.6

-60.96%

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

$1.04 GHS 12.05

$1.62 MX$28.34

-35.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 GHS 3.57

$1.16 MX$20.37

-73.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 GHS 20.04

$3.23 MX$56.6

-46.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 GHS 30.81

$4.74 MX$83.1

-43.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 GHS 35.25

$1.65 MX$28.89

84.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 GHS 18.66

$2.75 MX$48.30

-41.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 GHS 18.06

$1.87 MX$32.87

-16.58%

Eggs

$2.19 GHS 25.24

$2.50 MX$43.86

-12.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.66 GHS 42.30

$10.20 MX$179

-64.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.64 GHS 30.46

$8.25 MX$145

-68.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.41 GHS 27.83

$11.82 MX$207

-79.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 GHS 32.68

$3.01 MX$52.8

-5.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 GHS 23.38

$1.81 MX$31.77

11.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 GHS 24.13

$2.00 MX$35.07

4.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 GHS 32.98

$2.00 MX$35.00

43.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 GHS 20.99

$2.08 MX$36.56

-12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 GHS 22.93

$2.27 MX$39.85

-12.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 GHS 7.39

$1.46 MX$25.55

-56.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 GHS 10.13

$1.08 MX$18.88

-18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

Wine (Bottle)

$7.04 GHS 81.3

$16.99 MX$298

-58.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 GHS 10.11

$1.73 MX$30.40

-49.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 GHS 24.28

$0.39 MX$6.79

438.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.03 GHS 462

$18.69 MX$328

114.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 GHS 15.76

$1.33 MX$23.25

2.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 GHS 8.76

$0.28 MX$4.91

171.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 GHS 13.81

$1.34 MX$23.44

-10.45%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$31.32 GHS 362

$40.69 MX$714

-23.03%

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

$12.42 GHS 143

$26.87 MX$471

-53.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 GHS 746

$30.51 MX$535

111.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.29 GHS 223

$52.8 MX$926

-63.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

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

$83.0 GHS 958

$428 MX$7,508

-80.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.46 GHS 282

$57.3 MX$1,004

-57.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.21 GHS 280

$45.50 MX$798

-46.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.56 GHS 526

$104 MX$1,825

-56.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.8 GHS 714

$108 MX$1,891

-42.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 GHS 1,364

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-88.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.8 GHS 760

$623 MX$10.9K

-89.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 GHS 1,575

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-88.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,960 GHS 115.0K

$3,885 MX$68.1K

156.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,047 GHS 69.8K

$2,033 MX$35.7K

197.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$414 GHS 4,777

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-60.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

32.5

11.34

186.60%

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

Last update for Tema: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Tema and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 151% 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: $28.00 in Tema vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $292 per month, with Tema 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

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

Tema and Mexico City differ by about 133% in total monthly costs ($624 vs $1,456 including rent). Tema is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 151% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $118 in Tema 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 Tema runs roughly 114% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $83.0 in Tema versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $624 in Tema versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tema but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tema 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 Tema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.