Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Acuna and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Acuna: $1,128 a month against $1,567 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Acuna
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,128
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,567
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Acuna and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Acuna and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,128 per month in Acuna vs $1,567 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Acuna $1,128
  • Mexico City $1,567

A couple spends around $1,861 per month in Acuna vs $2,450 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Acuna $1,861
  • Mexico City $2,450

A family of three spends $2,594 per month in Acuna vs $3,333 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Acuna $2,594
  • Mexico City $3,333

Acuna is about 28% cheaper than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Acuna sits 16% below the global median, while Mexico City is 16% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Acuna
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.22 MX$226
$10.75 MX$199
13.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.26 MX$744
$50.3 MX$929
-19.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.18 MX$151
$11.10 MX$205
-26.31%
Cappuccino
$3.04 MX$56.1
$3.68 MX$68.1
-17.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 MX$23.26
$1.65 MX$30.42
-23.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 MX$21.43
$1.30 MX$24.08
-10.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.25 MX$41.51
$3.32 MX$61.3
-32.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 MX$64.9
$5.54 MX$102
-36.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Acuna
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 MX$33.55
$1.77 MX$32.68
2.82%
White Bread (500g)
$2.58 MX$47.59
$3.05 MX$56.4
-15.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.73 MX$31.92
$2.01 MX$37.20
-13.93%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.18
$2.77 MX$51.1
-9.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.88 MX$146
$11.91 MX$220
-33.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$9.33 MX$172
-14.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.30 MX$227
$15.02 MX$278
-18.11%
Apples (1kg)
$3.08 MX$57.0
$3.08 MX$56.8
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 MX$28.10
$1.95 MX$35.97
-22.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.95 MX$35.95
$2.03 MX$37.54
-3.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.74 MX$32.16
$2.21 MX$40.92
-21.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 MX$36.12
$2.02 MX$37.41
-3.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 MX$34.34
$1.82 MX$33.67
2.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 MX$25.17
$1.52 MX$28.07
-10.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 MX$22.50
$1.28 MX$23.65
-4.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08 MX$75.3
$5.27 MX$97.4
-22.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.98 MX$203
$16.12 MX$298
-31.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.24
$1.95 MX$36.05
-18.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 MX$61.3
$4.25 MX$78.6
-21.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Acuna
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.59 MX$10.92
$0.31 MX$5.82
90.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.85 MX$367
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.47 MX$45.72
$2.00 MX$36.93
23.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 MX$39.55
$0.53 MX$9.86
303.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.51 MX$231
$5.62 MX$104
122.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$24.23
$1.52 MX$28.07
-13.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.6K MX$417.6K
$21.0K MX$388.7K
7.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K MX$491.6K
$25.2K MX$465.3K
5.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Acuna
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$55.5 MX$1,025
$62.5 MX$1,155
-11.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.62 MX$399
$28.77 MX$532
-24.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.24 MX$540
$34.45 MX$637
-15.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Acuna
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.72 MX$697
$57.1 MX$1,055
-33.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.85 MX$367
$24.81 MX$458
-19.99%
Cinema Ticket
$5.30 MX$97.9
$6.67 MX$123
-20.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Acuna
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$242 MX$4,477
$431 MX$7,964
-43.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,625 MX$85.5K
$11.7K MX$216.9K
-60.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Acuna
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.0 MX$1,017
$70.8 MX$1,308
-22.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.44 MX$803
$51.8 MX$958
-16.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 MX$2,043
$109 MX$2,011
1.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.6 MX$1,729
$112 MX$2,076
-16.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Acuna
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$543 MX$10.0K
$1,051 MX$19.4K
-48.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$367 MX$6,785
$665 MX$12.3K
-44.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$17.8K
$2,346 MX$43.3K
-58.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$817 MX$15.1K
$1,227 MX$22.7K
-33.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,129 MX$39.4K
$3,554 MX$65.7K
-40.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,319 MX$24.4K
$1,977 MX$36.5K
-33.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Acuna
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$975 MX$18.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
11.3
-

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

Last update for Acuna: October 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Acuna
$367
Mexico City
$665 81.1% $298
Groceries & Markets
Acuna
$268
Mexico City
$323 20.3% $54
Eating Out
Acuna
$187
Mexico City
$203 8.7% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Acuna
$136
Mexico City
$155 13.6% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Acuna
$106
Mexico City
$126 18.2% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Acuna
$48
Mexico City
$70 45.8% $22
Getting Around
Acuna
$16 *
Mexico City
$26 65.9% $10

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $543 in Acuna versus $1,051 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Acuna versus $50.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $323 – making Acuna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Acuna
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
00:01 12:01 AM
23:01 11:01 PM
1 h behind Acuna
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
160,225
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Acuna Mexico City 1,110 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Acuna
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Acuna vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Acuna?
Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 39%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,693 per month in Acuna and $2,351 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Acuna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Acuna or in Mexico City?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Acuna and $50.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Acuna and in Mexico City?
Groceries cost about 20% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Acuna or in Mexico City?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Acuna, where all-in costs run around $1,128, than in Mexico City at $1,567. In Acuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Acuna or Mexico City more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Acuna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Acuna or Mexico City?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Acuna. 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.

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