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: $2,066 in Thames versus $1,682 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,101 in Thames versus $2,599 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,136 in Thames versus $3,516 in Mexico City.

Living in Thames is roughly 23% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thames 51% above, Mexico City 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.63 NZ$24.56

$11.83 MX$200

23.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.9 NZ$121

$52.2 MX$884

37.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 NZ$16.35

$10.87 MX$184

-10.40%

Cappuccino

$3.56 NZ$5.97

$4.03 MX$68.2

-11.66%

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

$2.14 NZ$3.59

$1.71 MX$28.99

25.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 NZ$3.30

$1.34 MX$22.70

47.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.37 NZ$12.38

$3.39 MX$57.5

117.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 NZ$13.16

$5.74 MX$97.3

36.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 NZ$3.30

$1.89 MX$31.99

4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 NZ$3.80

$3.17 MX$53.8

-28.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.12

$2.05 MX$34.74

-9.27%

Eggs

$6.24 NZ$10.47

$3.01 MX$51.1

107.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 NZ$14.95

$12.61 MX$214

-29.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 NZ$16.99

$9.94 MX$169

1.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.18 NZ$28.86

$16.00 MX$271

7.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 NZ$5.04

$3.28 MX$55.6

-8.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 NZ$3.49

$2.06 MX$34.87

0.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 NZ$5.45

$2.09 MX$35.36

55.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 NZ$9.26

$2.50 MX$42.44

120.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.75

$2.05 MX$34.76

8.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 NZ$2.97

$1.87 MX$31.70

-5.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 NZ$3.48

$1.57 MX$26.66

31.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 NZ$1.94

$1.39 MX$23.64

-16.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.43 NZ$47.74

$5.38 MX$91.2

428.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.42 NZ$17.51

$17.95 MX$304

-41.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 NZ$4.79

$2.02 MX$34.31

41.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 NZ$5.73

$4.76 MX$80.7

-28.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 NZ$2.84

$0.36 MX$6.13

369.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 NZ$144

$20.80 MX$353

311.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 NZ$3.92

$2.06 MX$34.92

13.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 NZ$3.44

$0.56 MX$9.55

266.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.08 NZ$55.6

$5.82 MX$98.6

468.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 NZ$3.12

$1.54 MX$26.05

20.78%

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

$26.9K NZ$45.2K

$22.5K MX$380.6K

19.83%

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

$24.0K NZ$40.2K

$26.5K MX$448.7K

-9.53%

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

$199 NZ$334

$66.0 MX$1,118

201.18%

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

$28.20 NZ$47.35

$30.98 MX$525

-8.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 NZ$87.6

$36.20 MX$613

44.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 NZ$61.8

$57.5 MX$975

-36.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 NZ$22.74

$7.13 MX$121

89.90%

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

$1,198 NZ$2,012

$457 MX$7,738

162.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K NZ$35.8K

$13.2K MX$224.5K

60.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.2 NZ$131

$75.8 MX$1,285

3.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.20 NZ$75.9

$54.1 MX$917

-16.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 NZ$152

$116 MX$1,974

-22.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 NZ$195

$122 MX$2,063

-4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 NZ$1,781

$1,147 MX$19.4K

-7.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$936 NZ$1,572

$726 MX$12.3K

28.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 NZ$2,550

$2,503 MX$42.4K

-39.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 NZ$2,268

$1,331 MX$22.6K

1.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,281 NZ$7,190

$3,895 MX$66.0K

9.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,614 NZ$6,069

$2,149 MX$36.4K

68.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.35

-53.04%

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

Last update for Thames: August 16, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,061 in Thames and $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $72.0 in Thames vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $344 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 23% in total monthly costs ($2,066 vs $1,682 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,099 in Thames and $2,523 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: $1,061 in Thames versus $1,147 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 312% less than in Thames. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,198 in Thames versus $457 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,682 in Mexico City versus $2,066 in Thames, a $3,000 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 23% less than in Thames. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.