Cost of Living & Salary Comparison 2026
Overall, Cape Town is approximately 13% cheaper than Mexico City based on our cost of living index. Cape Town has a COLI of 28.4 (ranked #88 of 113 cities), while Mexico City has a COLI of 32.5 (ranked #76).
When it comes to housing, one-bedroom apartment rent in Cape Town averages $650/month compared to $700/month in Mexico City. That makes Cape Town approximately 7% cheaper for rent alone.
Mexico City has lower total deductions (19.5%) compared to Cape Town (21.4%), meaning you keep more of your gross salary in Mexico City. When evaluating a relocation, remember that total deductions directly impact your take-home pay and should be weighed alongside cost of living differences.
Full breakdown of mandatory payroll deductions for a mid-range salary as a local employee in each city.
Rates shown for local employees. Expat deductions may differ — use the main converter for personalized calculations.
If you earn R 1,366,717 in Cape Town, you would need approximately MX$1,454,155 in Mexico City to maintain the same purchasing power. That is 13% more due to higher cost of living.
COLI-scaled lifestyle equivalents of New York mid-range salaries — not local market pay. For verified/OECD local-market figures see salary pages.
| Job Title | Cape Town (ZAR) | Mexico City (MXN) |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor (General) | R 931,554 | MX$991,152 |
| Software Engineer | R 439,901 | MX$468,044 |
| Product Manager | R 517,530 | MX$550,640 |
| Lawyer | R 517,530 | MX$550,640 |
| Data Scientist | R 491,654 | MX$523,108 |
| Marketing Manager | R 372,622 | MX$396,461 |
| Teacher | R 248,414 | MX$264,307 |
| Nurse | R 300,167 | MX$319,371 |
These are COLI lifestyle equivalents of the New York mid baseline, not typical local market pay. See methodology and profession×city salary pages for market figures with source badges.
| Neighborhood | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Clifton | 1.40x (+40%) |
| Camps Bay | 1.35x (+35%) |
| Constantia | 1.22x (+22%) |
| Sea Point | 1.18x (+18%) |
| City Bowl | 1.15x (+15%) |
| Neighborhood | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Polanco | 1.35x (+35%) |
| Lomas de Chapultepec | 1.30x (+30%) |
| Condesa | 1.22x (+22%) |
| Pedregal | 1.22x (+22%) |
| Roma Norte | 1.18x (+18%) |
Use our converter with 2,400+ neighborhood adjustments for a precise salary comparison
Open Salary ConverterMexico City is more expensive overall. Cape Town has a COLI of 28.4 while Mexico City has a COLI of 32.5, making Cape Town approximately 13% cheaper.
To maintain the same standard of living as R 1,366,717 in Cape Town, you would need approximately MX$1,454,155 in Mexico City.
Average one-bedroom rent in Cape Town is $650/month compared to $700/month in Mexico City. Cape Town has lower rent by approximately 7%.
Mexico City has lower total deductions (19.5%) compared to Cape Town (21.4%), meaning you keep more of your gross salary in Mexico City.
Cost of living indices (COLI) are benchmarked to New York City = 100 and derived from Numbeo and Expatistan crowd-sourced price surveys, cross-referenced with national statistics agencies. Rent data from Numbeo Property Prices.
Salary ranges are compiled from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OES), Glassdoor, and PayScale. Tax rates are approximate effective rates for mid-range earners based on OECD Taxing Wages and national tax authorities. Exchange rates from the European Central Bank. Neighborhood multipliers are estimated from local rental indices and property data.
Last updated: 2026-08-31. Data is refreshed periodically. All figures are estimates for informational purposes only.