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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,864 in Thompson versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,795 in Thompson versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,725 in Thompson versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Thompson is roughly 29% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.89 CA$23.59

$12.98 MX$223

30.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$98.6

$52.6 MX$903

34.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 CA$15.67

$9.43 MX$162

18.98%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.18

$3.57 MX$61.3

3.92%

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

$1.98 CA$2.77

$1.61 MX$27.55

22.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$1.15 MX$19.81

41.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.50 CA$7.68

$3.15 MX$54.0

74.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 CA$8.21

$4.86 MX$83.4

20.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CA$2.98

$1.70 MX$29.17

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CA$3.63

$2.64 MX$45.23

-1.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.93

$1.90 MX$32.67

85.79%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.75

$2.54 MX$43.62

33.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 CA$15.88

$10.08 MX$173

12.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.53 CA$16.10

$8.29 MX$142

39.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 CA$20.44

$11.57 MX$199

26.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.76

$3.03 MX$52.0

36.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.91

$1.71 MX$29.35

-19.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.06

$2.05 MX$35.16

76.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.10

$2.06 MX$35.36

77.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.38

$2.06 MX$35.43

17.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.42

$2.17 MX$37.25

12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.52

$1.40 MX$24.08

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.41

$1.12 MX$19.26

53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.00 CA$19.55

$4.29 MX$73.7

226.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.36 CA$17.27

$15.41 MX$265

-19.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.08

$1.67 MX$28.74

74.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.26

$3.69 MX$63.3

-17.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.33

$0.38 MX$6.55

528.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 CA$88.0

$19.06 MX$327

230.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.45

$1.38 MX$23.70

131.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$0.28 MX$4.74

414.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.94 CA$36.23

$5.42 MX$92.9

378.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$1.28 MX$21.98

-8.59%

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

$25.4K CA$35.5K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

33.99%

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

$21.0K CA$29.4K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-10.40%

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

$145 CA$202

$41.02 MX$704

252.85%

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

$44.24 CA$61.8

$26.92 MX$462

64.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 CA$86.5

$29.69 MX$510

108.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.95 CA$58.6

$52.3 MX$898

-19.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 CA$16.24

$6.18 MX$106

88.19%

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

$741 CA$1,035

$427 MX$7,331

73.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.3K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

9.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 CA$75.8

$56.8 MX$975

-4.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.75 CA$55.5

$44.83 MX$769

-11.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 CA$119

$105 MX$1,794

-18.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$150

$106 MX$1,819

1.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 CA$977

$995 MX$17.1K

-29.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 CA$970

$621 MX$10.7K

11.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 CA$1,612

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-45.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 CA$1,598

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-8.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,971 CA$6,942

$3,903 MX$67.0K

27.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 CA$5,443

$2,096 MX$36.0K

85.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,556 CA$2,173

$1,107 MX$19.0K

40.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

11.34

-43.03%

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

Last update for Thompson: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Thompson and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thompson pays 41% 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: $71.0 in Thompson vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 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

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

Thompson and Mexico City differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,864 vs $1,447 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Thompson pays 41% 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: $699 in Thompson 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 230% less than in Thompson. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $741 in Thompson 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 $1,864 in Thompson, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Thompson. 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 29% less than in Thompson. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.