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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,862 in Thames versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,904 in Thames versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,946 in Thames versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Thames is roughly 29% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thames 39% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 NZ$25.76

$12.98 MX$223

16.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 NZ$133

$52.6 MX$903

48.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 NZ$16.91

$9.43 MX$162

4.98%

Cappuccino

$3.40 NZ$5.81

$3.57 MX$61.3

-4.76%

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

$2.35 NZ$4.01

$1.61 MX$27.55

45.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 NZ$3.73

$1.15 MX$19.81

90.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.30

$3.15 MX$54.0

128.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 NZ$12.19

$4.86 MX$83.4

46.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 NZ$3.01

$1.70 MX$29.17

3.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 NZ$3.62

$2.64 MX$45.23

-19.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.35

$1.90 MX$32.67

3.16%

Eggs

$6.79 NZ$11.59

$2.54 MX$43.62

167.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 NZ$15.10

$10.08 MX$173

-12.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 NZ$16.79

$8.29 MX$142

18.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 NZ$21.85

$11.57 MX$199

10.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 NZ$4.98

$3.03 MX$52.0

-3.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.76

$1.71 MX$29.35

28.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NZ$5.58

$2.05 MX$35.16

59.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 NZ$7.10

$2.06 MX$35.36

101.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NZ$3.41

$2.06 MX$35.43

-2.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 NZ$2.78

$2.17 MX$37.25

-24.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NZ$3.36

$1.40 MX$24.08

40.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 NZ$2.18

$1.12 MX$19.26

13.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.54 NZ$43.62

$4.29 MX$73.7

495.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 NZ$16.81

$15.41 MX$265

-36.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 NZ$5.25

$1.67 MX$28.74

84.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 NZ$6.47

$3.69 MX$63.3

2.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 NZ$3.69

$0.38 MX$6.55

468.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 NZ$108

$19.06 MX$327

230.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 NZ$3.52

$1.38 MX$23.70

49.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 NZ$3.42

$0.28 MX$4.74

614.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.61 NZ$60.8

$5.42 MX$92.9

557.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$2.90

$1.28 MX$21.98

32.81%

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

$28.6K NZ$48.8K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

50.71%

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

$22.1K NZ$37.8K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-5.66%

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

$143 NZ$243

$41.02 MX$704

247.49%

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

$29.99 NZ$51.2

$26.92 MX$462

11.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.45 NZ$84.4

$29.69 MX$510

66.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.47 NZ$64.0

$52.3 MX$898

-28.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.23 NZ$20.88

$26.23 MX$450

-53.37%

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 NZ$26.05

$6.18 MX$106

146.76%

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

$897 NZ$1,531

$427 MX$7,331

109.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$23.0K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

26.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NZ$122

$56.8 MX$975

25.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 NZ$87.0

$44.83 MX$769

13.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 NZ$169

$105 MX$1,794

-5.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NZ$215

$106 MX$1,819

18.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$990 NZ$1,690

$995 MX$17.1K

-0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 NZ$1,346

$621 MX$10.7K

26.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 NZ$2,687

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-25.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 NZ$2,421

$1,254 MX$21.5K

13.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,452 NZ$7,603

$3,903 MX$67.0K

14.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,317 NZ$5,664

$2,096 MX$36.0K

58.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

11.34

-43.83%

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

Last update for Thames: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $990 in Thames and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Thames vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 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

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

Thames and Mexico City differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,862 vs $1,447 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,793 in Thames and $2,171 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $990 in Thames versus $995 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 231% less than in Thames. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $897 in Thames versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,862 in Thames, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Thames. 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.

Safety-wise, Thames and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Thames. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.