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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $242 in Altos versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $365 in Altos versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $487 in Altos versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Altos costs roughly 83% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Altos is 82% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$0.48 ₲2,903

$1.70 MX$29.43

-71.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 ₲3,584

$2.72 MX$47.02

-78.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₲5,966

$1.91 MX$33.07

-48.69%

Eggs

$1.94 ₲11.8K

$2.54 MX$43.86

-23.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.17 ₲37.6K

$10.03 MX$174

-38.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₲21.9K

$8.09 MX$140

-55.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.60 ₲34.1K

$11.62 MX$201

-51.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 ₲15.0K

$2.97 MX$51.3

-17.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ₲7,745

$1.81 MX$31.24

-29.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ₲8,661

$2.01 MX$34.82

-29.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 ₲11.0K

$2.03 MX$35.20

-10.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ₲7,421

$2.12 MX$36.75

-42.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 ₲9,977

$2.27 MX$39.25

-27.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₲7,447

$1.40 MX$24.22

-12.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₲3,110

$1.13 MX$19.55

-54.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$7.82 ₲47.6K

$15.56 MX$269

-49.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₲4,143

$1.76 MX$30.39

-61.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₲4,647

$3.60 MX$62.2

-78.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ₲2,541

$0.38 MX$6.62

10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.06 ₲73.5K

$19.18 MX$332

-37.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₲4,716

$1.38 MX$23.79

-44.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₲4,374

$0.28 MX$4.78

157.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₲6,944

$1.30 MX$22.55

-12.31%

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

$19.2K ₲117.1M

$18.7K MX$323.2K

2.80%

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

$23.9K ₲145.5M

$23.1K MX$400.1K

3.25%

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

$34.49 ₲210.2K

$40.86 MX$707

-15.59%

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

$7.97 ₲48.5K

$26.81 MX$464

-70.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.09 ₲85.8K

$29.96 MX$518

-52.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$3.48 ₲21.2K

$6.30 MX$109

-44.76%

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.63 ₲150.1K

$56.7 MX$980

-56.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,508 ₲9.2M

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-61.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 ₲6.0M

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-52.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ₲3.1M

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-54.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-11.82%

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

Last update for Altos: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 122% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

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

Altos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 505% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 122% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

A monthly transit pass in Altos runs roughly 59% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $242 in Altos versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Altos but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Altos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Altos is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Altos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 505% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.