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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $955 per month in Acapulco vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Acapulco vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,965 per month in Acapulco vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Acapulco is about 35% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Acapulco sits 29% below the global median, while Mexico City is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.78 MX$186

$13.18 MX$228

-18.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.02 MX$554

$53.9 MX$932

-40.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 MX$196

$9.42 MX$163

20.38%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$65.0

$3.55 MX$61.4

5.92%

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

$1.82 MX$31.49

$1.62 MX$27.98

12.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$26.69

$1.11 MX$19.27

38.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 MX$44.51

$3.12 MX$54.0

-17.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$81.9

$4.63 MX$80.1

2.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$26.91

$1.70 MX$29.43

-8.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 MX$55.1

$2.72 MX$47.02

17.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.82

$1.91 MX$33.07

-18.85%

Eggs

$1.74 MX$30.15

$2.54 MX$43.86

-31.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 MX$108

$10.03 MX$174

-37.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 MX$141

$8.09 MX$140

0.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 MX$186

$11.62 MX$201

-7.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 MX$78.4

$2.97 MX$51.3

52.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.07

$1.81 MX$31.24

-7.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 MX$55.2

$2.01 MX$34.82

58.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 MX$53.9

$2.03 MX$35.20

53.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 MX$59.4

$2.12 MX$36.75

62.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.68

$2.27 MX$39.25

26.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.67

$1.40 MX$24.22

-10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$13.42

$1.13 MX$19.55

-30.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 MX$135

$4.27 MX$73.9

83.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.04 MX$122

$15.56 MX$269

-54.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.76 MX$30.39

-40.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 MX$45.37

$3.60 MX$62.2

-27.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.67

$0.38 MX$6.62

92.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$1.38 MX$23.79

209.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.68

$0.28 MX$4.78

450.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 MX$145

$5.45 MX$94.2

53.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.73

$1.30 MX$22.55

-3.08%

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

$21.0K MX$362.7K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

12.20%

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

$22.1K MX$382.6K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-4.38%

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

$38.89 MX$673

$40.86 MX$707

-4.82%

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

$22.51 MX$389

$26.81 MX$464

-16.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.88 MX$361

$29.96 MX$518

-30.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.76 MX$324

$52.0 MX$900

-63.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 MX$229

$26.84 MX$464

-50.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 MX$62.7

$6.30 MX$109

-42.54%

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

$156 MX$2,706

$436 MX$7,544

-64.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,565 MX$61.7K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-65.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MX$1,105

$56.7 MX$980

12.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 MX$726

$44.38 MX$768

-5.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,826

$103 MX$1,780

2.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 MX$1,390

$106 MX$1,825

-23.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 MX$8,748

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-50.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 MX$4,208

$631 MX$10.9K

-61.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MX$15.9K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-57.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 MX$4,302

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-79.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 MX$8,412

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-56.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.34

1.41%

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

Last update for Acapulco: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Acapulco versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 129% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Acapulco versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $288 – making Acapulco the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Mexico City costs about 54% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,433 per month in Acapulco and $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acapulco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $955 in Acapulco and $1,467 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $156 per month in Acapulco and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Acapulco, where all-in costs run around $955, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Acapulco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Acapulco costs $955 versus $1,467 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Acapulco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.