Cost of Living Comparison Between Waikiki, HI and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Waikiki, HI and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,994 in Waikiki, HI versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,502 in Waikiki, HI versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,011 in Waikiki, HI versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Waikiki, HI is roughly 103% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waikiki, HI 125% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.83 $23.83

$13.14 MX$227

81.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$53.5 MX$926

88.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.25 $15.25

$9.33 MX$161

63.45%

Cappuccino

$5.99 $5.99

$3.70 MX$64.0

61.89%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$1.60 MX$27.76

130.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.12 MX$19.34

150.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$3.14 MX$54.3

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 $8.92

$4.85 MX$83.9

83.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.65 MX$28.61

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.71 MX$46.96

-9.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.21 $10.21

$1.91 MX$33.03

434.55%

Eggs

$7.71 $7.71

$2.59 MX$44.81

197.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 $12.50

$9.81 MX$170

27.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.35 $19.35

$8.43 MX$146

129.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.73 $19.73

$11.93 MX$206

65.38%

Apples (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$2.95 MX$51.1

129.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.74 MX$30.10

-5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$2.04 MX$35.38

222.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.28 $8.28

$2.06 MX$35.64

301.94%

Potato (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$2.15 MX$37.20

140.93%

Onion (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$2.26 MX$39.02

102.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.92 $4.92

$1.39 MX$23.97

253.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.12 MX$19.31

159.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.15 $12.15

$4.22 MX$73.0

187.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.72 $17.72

$17.51 MX$303

1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.71 MX$29.58

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.63 MX$62.8

51.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.35 MX$6.10

480.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.1 $81.1

$19.32 MX$334

319.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.38 MX$23.80

147.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.28 MX$4.77

860.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.30 $44.30

$5.28 MX$91.3

739.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.36 MX$23.50

-10.29%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$19.1K MX$330.5K

55.38%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$23.6K MX$408.4K

5.42%

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

$237 $237

$40.53 MX$701

484.33%

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

$66.8 $66.8

$27.38 MX$474

144.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$30.38 MX$526

124.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.81 $42.81

$52.2 MX$903

-18.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$16.24 $16.24

$6.19 MX$107

162.36%

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

$1,514 $1,514

$425 MX$7,355

256.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K $20.2K

$10.7K MX$185.7K

88.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 $56.2

$58.3 MX$1,009

-3.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.2 $60.2

$44.57 MX$771

35.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$103 MX$1,791

1.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$109 MX$1,881

18.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 $1,599

$1,014 MX$17.5K

57.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 $1,380

$623 MX$10.8K

121.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,589 $2,589

$2,119 MX$36.7K

22.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,230 $2,230

$1,223 MX$21.2K

82.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,664 $2,664

$3,792 MX$65.6K

-29.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,560 $2,560

$2,110 MX$36.5K

21.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

11.34

-41.89%

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

Last update for Waikiki, HI: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,599 in Waikiki, HI and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Waikiki, HI vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $556 vs $293 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

Waikiki, HI vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waikiki, HI and Mexico City differ by about 103% in total monthly costs ($2,994 vs $1,472 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,491 in Waikiki, HI and $2,208 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: $1,599 in Waikiki, HI versus $1,014 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 320% less than in Waikiki, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,514 in Waikiki, HI versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $2,994 in Waikiki, HI, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Waikiki, HI. 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, Waikiki, HI 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 103% less than in Waikiki, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.