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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,601 in Acosta versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,400 in Acosta versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,200 in Acosta versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Acosta is roughly 9% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Acosta 20% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 ₡4,481

$13.18 MX$228

-25.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 ₡23.2K

$53.9 MX$931

-5.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 ₡4,501

$9.42 MX$163

4.56%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ₡1,760

$3.55 MX$61.3

8.45%

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

$2.04 ₡934

$1.62 MX$27.95

25.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡749

$1.11 MX$19.25

47.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 ₡1,391

$3.12 MX$53.9

-2.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ₡2,112

$4.63 MX$80.0

-0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₡928

$1.70 MX$29.40

19.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 ₡1,261

$2.72 MX$46.97

1.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,010

$1.91 MX$33.04

15.71%

Eggs

$2.89 ₡1,321

$2.54 MX$43.82

13.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 ₡4,576

$10.03 MX$173

-0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 ₡4,278

$8.09 MX$140

15.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 ₡6,360

$11.62 MX$201

19.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ₡2,026

$2.97 MX$51.3

49.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡696

$1.81 MX$31.21

-16.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 ₡1,928

$2.01 MX$34.79

109.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.18 ₡1,454

$2.03 MX$35.16

56.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₡1,573

$2.12 MX$36.71

62.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 ₡1,389

$2.27 MX$39.21

33.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡435

$1.40 MX$24.20

-32.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,279

$1.13 MX$19.53

147.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.85 ₡2,217

$4.27 MX$73.8

13.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.47 ₡7,067

$15.56 MX$269

-0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₡1,077

$1.76 MX$30.36

34.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₡1,194

$3.60 MX$62.1

-27.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₡448

$0.38 MX$6.62

157.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.97 ₡11.4K

$19.18 MX$331

30.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 ₡818

$1.38 MX$23.77

29.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡808

$0.28 MX$4.78

532.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 ₡3,540

$5.45 MX$94.1

42.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₡638

$1.30 MX$22.53

7.69%

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

$37.1K ₡17.0M

$18.7K MX$322.9K

98.69%

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

$32.7K ₡14.9M

$23.1K MX$399.7K

41.19%

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

$93.0 ₡42.5K

$40.86 MX$706

127.70%

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

$25.56 ₡11.7K

$26.81 MX$463

-4.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 ₡24.4K

$29.96 MX$518

78.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₡25.6K

$52.0 MX$899

7.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 ₡10.8K

$26.84 MX$464

-11.77%

Cinema Ticket

$9.74 ₡4,452

$6.30 MX$109

54.60%

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

$525 ₡239.8K

$436 MX$7,536

20.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.8M

$10.4K MX$180.0K

21.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ₡28.7K

$56.7 MX$979

10.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 ₡23.4K

$44.38 MX$767

15.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡58.1K

$103 MX$1,779

23.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.6K

$106 MX$1,823

0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 ₡348.8K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-25.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 ₡273.0K

$631 MX$10.9K

-5.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 ₡697.1K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-28.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$975 ₡445.3K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-21.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,977 ₡903.5K

$3,903 MX$67.4K

-49.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,506 ₡688.0K

$1,115 MX$19.3K

35.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

11.34

-10.32%

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

Last update for Acosta: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $763 in Acosta and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acosta pays 35% 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: $51.0 in Acosta vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $288, with Mexico City 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

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

Acosta and Mexico City differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,601 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Acosta pays 35% more on average, 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: $763 in Acosta versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Acosta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $51.0 in Acosta. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,601 in Acosta, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Acosta. 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, Acosta 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 9% less than in Acosta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.