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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,765 in Whanganui versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,744 in Whanganui versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,724 in Whanganui versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Whanganui is roughly 22% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whanganui 31% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.21 NZ$25.97

$12.98 MX$223

17.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.1 NZ$123

$52.6 MX$903

37.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 NZ$15.36

$9.43 MX$162

-4.56%

Cappuccino

$3.42 NZ$5.84

$3.57 MX$61.3

-4.20%

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

$2.29 NZ$3.90

$1.61 MX$27.55

42.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 NZ$2.84

$1.15 MX$19.81

45.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 NZ$8.29

$3.15 MX$54.0

54.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 NZ$9.19

$4.86 MX$83.4

10.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.85

$1.70 MX$29.17

-1.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 NZ$2.65

$2.64 MX$45.23

-41.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.31

$1.90 MX$32.67

2.11%

Eggs

$5.75 NZ$9.82

$2.54 MX$43.62

126.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.19 NZ$12.27

$10.08 MX$173

-28.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.37

$8.29 MX$142

8.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 NZ$21.22

$11.57 MX$199

7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 NZ$4.20

$3.03 MX$52.0

-18.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.08

$1.71 MX$29.35

5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 NZ$4.29

$2.05 MX$35.16

22.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 NZ$5.96

$2.06 MX$35.36

69.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NZ$3.51

$2.06 MX$35.43

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.69

$2.17 MX$37.25

-0.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 NZ$3.66

$1.40 MX$24.08

52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 NZ$0.96

$1.12 MX$19.26

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.04 NZ$34.21

$4.29 MX$73.7

367.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 NZ$16.95

$15.41 MX$265

-35.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NZ$4.35

$1.67 MX$28.74

52.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 NZ$4.43

$3.69 MX$63.3

-29.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 NZ$3.71

$0.38 MX$6.55

471.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 NZ$108

$19.06 MX$327

232.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 NZ$4.76

$1.38 MX$23.70

102.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 NZ$3.02

$0.28 MX$4.74

532.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.94 NZ$59.7

$5.42 MX$92.9

544.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.80

$1.28 MX$21.98

28.12%

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

$27.2K NZ$46.4K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

43.23%

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

$23.3K NZ$39.7K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-0.87%

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

$121 NZ$207

$41.02 MX$704

195.34%

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

$36.68 NZ$62.6

$26.92 MX$462

36.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.84 NZ$83.4

$29.69 MX$510

64.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.54 NZ$62.4

$52.3 MX$898

-30.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.95 NZ$20.40

$26.23 MX$450

-54.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 NZ$12.39

$6.18 MX$106

17.48%

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

$367 NZ$626

$427 MX$7,331

-14.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

12.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 NZ$120

$56.8 MX$975

24.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.23 NZ$61.9

$44.83 MX$769

-19.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 NZ$168

$105 MX$1,794

-5.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 NZ$220

$106 MX$1,819

21.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 NZ$2,087

$995 MX$17.1K

22.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 NZ$1,222

$621 MX$10.7K

15.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 NZ$2,662

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-26.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 NZ$2,314

$1,254 MX$21.5K

8.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

11.34

-41.01%

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

Last update for Whanganui: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,222 in Whanganui and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $72.0 in Whanganui vs $53.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $288, with Whanganui cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Whanganui and Mexico City differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,765 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 $2,648 in Whanganui 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: $1,222 in Whanganui 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 233% less than in Whanganui. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $367 in Whanganui 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 $1,765 in Whanganui, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Whanganui. 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, Whanganui 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 22% less than in Whanganui. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.