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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,731 in Vancouver versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,956 in Vancouver versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,181 in Vancouver versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 66% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 99% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 CA$25.43

$12.11 MX$206

51.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$52.2 MX$887

39.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.06

$10.90 MX$185

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$4.25 CA$5.88

$4.05 MX$68.8

4.94%

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

$2.12 CA$2.94

$1.72 MX$29.13

23.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.38 MX$23.40

22.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 CA$7.95

$3.47 MX$58.9

65.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.21

$5.81 MX$98.7

14.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CA$2.97

$1.85 MX$31.48

15.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.53

$3.22 MX$54.7

-20.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.11

$2.09 MX$35.42

111.00%

Eggs

$4.24 CA$5.88

$2.91 MX$49.41

45.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 CA$16.81

$12.49 MX$212

-2.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.92

$10.11 MX$172

35.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.78 CA$28.78

$15.89 MX$270

30.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.96

$3.31 MX$56.3

30.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$2.13 MX$36.12

-34.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.53

$2.19 MX$37.20

82.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.63

$2.45 MX$41.57

65.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.90

$2.19 MX$37.18

28.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.08

$1.90 MX$32.35

55.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 CA$3.84

$1.62 MX$27.44

70.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.25

$1.35 MX$22.92

20.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.06 CA$22.24

$5.43 MX$92.1

195.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.54 CA$20.13

$17.59 MX$299

-17.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 CA$3.78

$2.07 MX$35.12

31.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$4.75 MX$80.6

-35.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 CA$3.52

$0.34 MX$5.77

650.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 CA$118

$21.58 MX$366

294.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$2.04 MX$34.65

32.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 CA$2.27

$0.58 MX$9.82

182.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.75 CA$43.96

$5.97 MX$101

431.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.62 MX$27.44

-11.73%

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

$28.9K CA$40.0K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

26.72%

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

$19.7K CA$27.2K

$26.7K MX$452.8K

-26.19%

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

$77.6 CA$107

$65.2 MX$1,108

18.90%

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

$35.35 CA$48.94

$29.87 MX$507

18.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CA$71.5

$36.55 MX$621

41.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.26 CA$64.1

$61.0 MX$1,036

-24.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.37 CA$18.52

$26.70 MX$453

-49.93%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$15.99

$6.85 MX$116

68.61%

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

$1,137 CA$1,574

$453 MX$7,700

150.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K CA$29.4K

$13.4K MX$227.1K

58.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 CA$82.0

$75.0 MX$1,273

-20.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.02 CA$48.48

$55.3 MX$939

-36.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 CA$125

$114 MX$1,929

-20.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 CA$133

$123 MX$2,083

-21.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 CA$2,555

$1,134 MX$19.3K

62.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 CA$2,208

$712 MX$12.1K

123.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,271 CA$4,529

$2,571 MX$43.7K

27.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,499 CA$3,461

$1,311 MX$22.3K

90.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,039 CA$12.5K

$3,993 MX$67.8K

126.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,985 CA$9,672

$2,095 MX$35.6K

233.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 CA$5,066

$1,047 MX$17.8K

249.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

11.3

-62.57%

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

Last update for Vancouver: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,845 in Vancouver and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 249% 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: $73.0 in Vancouver vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $345 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

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

Vancouver and Mexico City differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($2,731 vs $1,646 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 249% higher in Vancouver, 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: $1,845 in Vancouver 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 Mexico City runs roughly 294% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,137 in Vancouver versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $2,731 in Vancouver, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. 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 66% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.