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: $773 in Tema versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Tema versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,673 in Tema versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Tema costs roughly 53% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tema is 44% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.17 GHS 81.0

$12.11 MX$205

-40.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.28 GHS 320

$52.2 MX$883

-45.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

Cappuccino

$5.21 GHS 58.9

$4.05 MX$68.5

28.64%

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

$0.92 GHS 10.34

$1.72 MX$29.00

-46.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 GHS 3.52

$1.38 MX$23.29

-77.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 GHS 38.62

$3.47 MX$58.6

-1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 GHS 30.68

$5.81 MX$98.2

-53.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.40 GHS 38.44

$1.85 MX$31.33

83.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 GHS 18.69

$3.22 MX$54.5

-48.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 GHS 23.99

$2.09 MX$35.25

1.44%

Eggs

$2.44 GHS 27.57

$2.91 MX$49.18

-16.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 GHS 51.1

$12.49 MX$211

-63.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 GHS 37.35

$10.11 MX$171

-67.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.49 GHS 39.39

$15.89 MX$269

-78.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 GHS 29.38

$3.31 MX$56.0

-21.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 GHS 25.42

$2.13 MX$35.95

5.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 GHS 25.26

$2.19 MX$37.03

2.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 GHS 40.57

$2.45 MX$41.37

46.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 GHS 40.93

$2.19 MX$37.00

65.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 GHS 33.05

$1.90 MX$32.20

54.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 GHS 4.79

$1.62 MX$27.31

-74.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 GHS 8.37

$1.35 MX$22.82

-45.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.31 GHS 14.76

$5.43 MX$91.7

-75.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.77 GHS 99.1

$17.59 MX$297

-50.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 GHS 25.78

$2.07 MX$34.96

10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 GHS 36.01

$4.75 MX$80.2

-32.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 GHS 19.79

$0.34 MX$5.75

414.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.36 GHS 490

$21.58 MX$365

100.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 GHS 25.57

$2.04 MX$34.49

10.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 GHS 4.78

$0.58 MX$9.77

-27.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 GHS 13.16

$1.62 MX$27.31

-27.78%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

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

$80.8 GHS 913

$65.2 MX$1,103

23.79%

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

$15.84 GHS 179

$29.87 MX$505

-46.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.2 GHS 963

$36.55 MX$618

133.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.86 GHS 281

$61.0 MX$1,031

-59.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$8.86 GHS 100

$6.85 MX$116

29.34%

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

$177 GHS 2,005

$453 MX$7,664

-60.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,686 GHS 30.4K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-79.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.47 GHS 152

$75.0 MX$1,267

-82.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.06 GHS 181

$55.3 MX$935

-70.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.07 GHS 498

$114 MX$1,920

-61.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.93 GHS 372

$123 MX$2,073

-73.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$135 GHS 1,531

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-88.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.4 GHS 829

$712 MX$12.0K

-89.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 GHS 4,988

$2,571 MX$43.5K

-82.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 GHS 2,471

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-83.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,991 GHS 112.9K

$3,993 MX$67.5K

150.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,102 GHS 69.0K

$2,095 MX$35.4K

191.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 GHS 4,847

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-59.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

209.73%

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

Last update for Tema: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $135 in Tema and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City 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: $28.00 in Tema vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $345 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 113% in total monthly costs ($773 vs $1,646 including rent). Tema is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 144% 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: $135 in Tema 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 Tema runs roughly 101% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $177 in Tema versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $773 in Tema versus $1,646 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 113% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.