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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,914 in Terrace versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,928 in Terrace versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,942 in Terrace versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Terrace is roughly 30% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Terrace 43% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.14 CA$25.20

$13.18 MX$228

37.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.3 CA$116

$53.9 MX$934

54.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.24 CA$15.61

$9.42 MX$163

19.32%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.34

$3.55 MX$61.5

8.45%

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

$2.05 CA$2.85

$1.62 MX$28.03

26.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.35

$1.11 MX$19.31

52.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 CA$6.07

$3.12 MX$54.1

40.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.14

$4.63 MX$80.2

26.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.46 CA$3.42

$1.70 MX$29.48

44.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.72 MX$47.10

0.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 CA$7.49

$1.91 MX$33.13

182.20%

Eggs

$3.98 CA$5.54

$2.54 MX$43.94

56.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 CA$12.58

$10.03 MX$174

-9.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.65 CA$21.74

$8.09 MX$140

93.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.55

$11.62 MX$201

21.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.17

$2.97 MX$51.4

49.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.77

$1.81 MX$31.30

-29.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 CA$4.50

$2.01 MX$34.88

61.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.41

$2.03 MX$35.26

91.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.79

$2.12 MX$36.82

62.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.33

$2.27 MX$39.32

37.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.58

$1.40 MX$24.26

83.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 CA$1.40

$1.13 MX$19.59

-10.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 CA$16.56

$4.27 MX$74.0

179.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.87 CA$19.27

$15.56 MX$270

-10.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 CA$3.07

$1.76 MX$30.44

25.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.60

$3.60 MX$62.3

-48.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$0.38 MX$6.64

294.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.71 CA$45.45

$19.18 MX$332

70.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CA$4.38

$1.38 MX$23.84

128.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$0.28 MX$4.79

432.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.92 CA$36.02

$5.45 MX$94.4

375.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$1.30 MX$22.60

-7.69%

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

$28.5K CA$39.6K

$18.7K MX$323.8K

52.34%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$23.1K MX$400.8K

-10.67%

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

$96.6 CA$134

$40.86 MX$708

136.49%

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

$39.57 CA$55.0

$26.81 MX$465

47.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 CA$86.4

$29.96 MX$519

107.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.46 CA$60.4

$52.0 MX$901

-16.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

Cinema Ticket

$9.37 CA$13.02

$6.30 MX$109

48.73%

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

$745 CA$1,035

$436 MX$7,558

70.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$10.4K MX$180.5K

11.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.97 CA$52.8

$56.7 MX$982

-32.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.04 CA$44.52

$44.38 MX$769

-27.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 CA$114

$103 MX$1,784

-19.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.07 CA$64.0

$106 MX$1,829

-56.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 CA$1,455

$1,022 MX$17.7K

2.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$858 CA$1,192

$631 MX$10.9K

35.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,693 CA$2,352

$2,136 MX$37.0K

-20.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,399 CA$1,944

$1,243 MX$21.5K

12.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,481 CA$6,226

$3,903 MX$67.6K

14.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,682 CA$5,116

$2,064 MX$35.8K

78.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,510

$1,115 MX$19.3K

191.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.22

11.34

-53.97%

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

Last update for Terrace: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,047 in Terrace and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Terrace pays 191% 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: $83.0 in Terrace vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $288 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

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

Terrace and Mexico City differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,914 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Terrace pays 191% more on average, 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: $1,047 in Terrace versus $1,022 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 71% less than in Terrace. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $745 in Terrace versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,914 in Terrace, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Terrace. 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 30% less than in Terrace. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.