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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,182 per month in Ajijic vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,939 per month in Ajijic vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,696 per month in Ajijic vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Ajijic is about 19% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ajijic sits 12% below the global median, while Mexico City is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.91 MX$137

$13.18 MX$228

-39.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.68 MX$600

$53.9 MX$932

-35.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 MX$118

$9.42 MX$163

-27.81%

Cappuccino

$3.35 MX$58.0

$3.55 MX$61.4

-5.63%

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

$1.07 MX$18.53

$1.62 MX$27.98

-33.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 MX$14.66

$1.11 MX$19.27

-23.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 MX$31.55

$3.12 MX$54.0

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MX$54.5

$4.63 MX$80.1

-31.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.44

$1.70 MX$29.43

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 MX$39.33

$2.72 MX$47.02

-16.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 MX$18.69

$1.91 MX$33.07

-43.46%

Eggs

$2.00 MX$34.58

$2.54 MX$43.86

-21.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$10.03 MX$174

-19.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.23 MX$125

$8.09 MX$140

-10.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 MX$118

$11.62 MX$201

-41.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.31

$2.97 MX$51.3

-27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 MX$15.41

$1.81 MX$31.24

-50.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 MX$15.77

$2.01 MX$34.82

-54.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 MX$24.44

$2.03 MX$35.20

-30.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$2.12 MX$36.75

-34.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MX$17.98

$2.27 MX$39.25

-54.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 MX$14.99

$1.40 MX$24.22

-37.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.28

$1.13 MX$19.55

-26.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MX$70.4

$4.27 MX$73.9

-4.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 MX$161

$15.56 MX$269

-40.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.24

$1.76 MX$30.39

-20.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.05

$3.60 MX$62.2

-53.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.56

$0.38 MX$6.62

60.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 MX$18.85

$1.38 MX$23.79

-21.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 MX$27.38

$0.28 MX$4.78

464.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 MX$55.1

$5.45 MX$94.2

-41.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.30 MX$22.55

0.77%

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

$18.8K MX$324.7K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

0.46%

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

$18.9K MX$326.6K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-18.36%

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

$44.74 MX$774

$40.86 MX$707

9.50%

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

$16.21 MX$280

$26.81 MX$464

-39.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.54 MX$442

$29.96 MX$518

-14.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.01 MX$415

$52.0 MX$900

-53.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.24 MX$90.7

$26.84 MX$464

-80.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MX$74.2

$6.30 MX$109

-31.90%

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

$179 MX$3,095

$436 MX$7,544

-58.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,654 MX$45.9K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-74.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.62 MX$720

$56.7 MX$980

-26.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.17 MX$280

$44.38 MX$768

-63.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 MX$1,128

$103 MX$1,780

-36.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.1 MX$935

$106 MX$1,825

-48.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 MX$14.0K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-20.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 MX$10.9K

$631 MX$10.9K

0.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 MX$27.6K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-25.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 MX$24.2K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

12.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,248 MX$56.2K

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-16.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,742 MX$30.1K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-15.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$583 MX$10.1K

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-47.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

11.34

-0.88%

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

Last update for Ajijic: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $812 in Ajijic 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 91% 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 $35.00 in Ajijic versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $288 – making Ajijic 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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,773 per month in Ajijic 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 Ajijic, 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 $1,182 in Ajijic and $1,467 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $179 per month in Ajijic and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ajijic, where all-in costs run around $1,182, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Ajijic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ajijic – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Ajijic. 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.