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: $1,679 in Acosta versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,704 in Acosta versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,730 in Acosta versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs are close between Acosta and Mexico City; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Acosta 22% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.39 ₡5,546

$12.14 MX$206

2.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 ₡25.5K

$53.9 MX$914

5.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 ₡5,106

$11.09 MX$188

2.89%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₡1,898

$4.10 MX$69.5

3.41%

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

$2.55 ₡1,142

$1.68 MX$28.53

51.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₡853

$1.39 MX$23.55

37.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 ₡1,509

$3.33 MX$56.5

1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 ₡1,977

$5.88 MX$99.7

-24.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,094

$1.85 MX$31.41

31.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 ₡1,273

$3.17 MX$53.8

-10.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 ₡1,147

$2.07 MX$35.13

23.67%

Eggs

$3.54 ₡1,583

$2.93 MX$49.67

20.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 ₡4,815

$12.59 MX$214

-14.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 ₡4,747

$10.11 MX$172

4.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 ₡6,448

$16.09 MX$273

-10.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ₡2,342

$3.39 MX$57.5

54.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ₡750

$2.08 MX$35.26

-19.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 ₡1,499

$2.12 MX$35.97

58.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 ₡1,537

$2.41 MX$40.95

42.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 ₡1,424

$2.13 MX$36.11

49.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 ₡1,397

$2.01 MX$34.02

55.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₡508

$1.55 MX$26.21

-26.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₡1,227

$1.36 MX$23.15

101.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 ₡2,633

$5.77 MX$97.8

1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.76 ₡7,499

$17.74 MX$301

-5.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,192

$2.07 MX$35.11

28.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ₡1,174

$4.61 MX$78.3

-43.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ₡616

$0.37 MX$6.21

272.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ₡1,074

$2.05 MX$34.84

17.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 ₡705

$0.58 MX$9.79

172.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ₡3,924

$6.07 MX$103

44.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 ₡690

$1.55 MX$26.34

-0.65%

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

$22.3K ₡10.0M

$22.9K MX$388.1K

-2.58%

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

$34.7K ₡15.5M

$27.2K MX$462.0K

27.49%

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

$94.9 ₡42.5K

$67.4 MX$1,144

40.75%

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

$30.57 ₡13.7K

$30.62 MX$520

-0.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 ₡26.9K

$37.24 MX$632

61.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 ₡32.6K

$61.5 MX$1,043

18.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 ₡3,653

$7.11 MX$121

14.77%

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

$856 ₡383.3K

$456 MX$7,739

87.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ₡7.7M

$13.7K MX$232.3K

25.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 ₡32.3K

$74.2 MX$1,259

-2.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 ₡25.6K

$57.0 MX$967

0.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.3K

$115 MX$1,958

12.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₡59.3K

$122 MX$2,061

9.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₡353.2K

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-31.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 ₡283.7K

$709 MX$12.0K

-10.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 ₡835.0K

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-27.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 ₡576.1K

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-0.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,939 ₡867.9K

$4,005 MX$67.9K

-51.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,497 ₡669.9K

$1,082 MX$18.4K

38.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

11.3

-22.30%

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

Last update for Acosta: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Acosta and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acosta pays 38% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $57.0 in Acosta vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $345 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

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

Average pay runs 38% higher in Acosta, 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: $789 in Acosta versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $856 in Acosta versus $456 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Acosta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,679 in Acosta, a $3,000 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.

It comes down to priorities – Mexico City wins on affordability, Acosta on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.