Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Altos and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Altos: $247 a month against $1,567 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Altos
🇵🇾 Paraguay
$247
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,567
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Altos 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 Altos and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $247 in Altos versus $1,567 in Mexico City.

  • Altos $247
  • Mexico City $1,567

Estimated couple costs with rent: $370 in Altos versus $2,450 in Mexico City.

  • Altos $370
  • Mexico City $2,450

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $494 in Altos versus $3,333 in Mexico City.

  • Altos $494
  • Mexico City $3,333

Living in Altos costs roughly 84% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Altos is 82% below, Mexico City is 16% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Altos
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$10.75 MX$199
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$50.3 MX$929
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$11.10 MX$205
-
Cappuccino
-
$3.68 MX$68.1
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.65 MX$30.42
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.30 MX$24.08
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.32 MX$61.3
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.54 MX$102
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Altos
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.51 ₲2,928
$1.77 MX$32.68
-71.19%
White Bread (500g)
$0.92 ₲5,249
$3.05 MX$56.4
-69.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.98 ₲5,598
$2.01 MX$37.20
-51.24%
Eggs
$1.87 ₲10.7K
$2.77 MX$51.1
-32.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.10 ₲34.7K
$11.91 MX$220
-48.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.51 ₲20.0K
$9.33 MX$172
-62.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.36 ₲30.5K
$15.02 MX$278
-64.31%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₲13.3K
$3.08 MX$56.8
-23.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.28 ₲7,273
$1.95 MX$35.97
-34.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 ₲7,835
$2.03 MX$37.54
-32.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.78 ₲10.1K
$2.21 MX$40.92
-19.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 ₲6,518
$2.02 MX$37.41
-43.07%
Onion (1kg)
$1.41 ₲7,999
$1.82 MX$33.67
-22.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 ₲6,634
$1.52 MX$28.07
-23.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 ₲4,659
$1.28 MX$23.65
-35.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.93 ₲5,309
$5.27 MX$97.4
-82.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.84 ₲44.6K
$16.12 MX$298
-51.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 ₲4,069
$1.95 MX$36.05
-63.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 ₲4,334
$4.25 MX$78.6
-82.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Altos
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.39 ₲2,202
$0.31 MX$5.82
25.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.20 ₲69.4K
$19.85 MX$367
-38.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.66 ₲9,419
$2.00 MX$36.93
-17.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.68 ₲3,861
$0.53 MX$9.86
28.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.62 MX$104
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 ₲6,686
$1.52 MX$28.07
-22.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.3K ₲110.0M
$21.0K MX$388.7K
-8.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K ₲136.2M
$25.2K MX$465.3K
-4.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Altos
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$34.64 ₲197.0K
$62.5 MX$1,155
-44.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.19 ₲46.6K
$28.77 MX$532
-71.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.10 ₲80.1K
$34.45 MX$637
-59.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Altos
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$57.1 MX$1,055
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.81 MX$458
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.44 ₲19.5K
$6.67 MX$123
-48.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Altos
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$431 MX$7,964
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.7K MX$216.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Altos
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.19 ₲143.2K
$70.8 MX$1,308
-64.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$51.8 MX$958
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$109 MX$2,011
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$112 MX$2,076
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Altos
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,051 MX$19.4K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$665 MX$12.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,346 MX$43.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,227 MX$22.7K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,520 ₲8.6M
$3,554 MX$65.7K
-57.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$999 ₲5.7M
$1,977 MX$36.5K
-49.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Altos
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$499 ₲2.8M
$975 MX$18.0K
-48.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10
11.3
-11.50%

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

Last update for Altos: October 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Altos
–
Mexico City
$665
Groceries & Markets
Altos
–
Mexico City
$323
Eating Out
Altos
–
Mexico City
$203
Clothing & Footwear
Altos
–
Mexico City
$155
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Altos
–
Mexico City
$126
Sport & Entertainment
Altos
–
Mexico City
$70
Getting Around
Altos
–
Mexico City
$26

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 95% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Good to know
🇵🇾 Altos
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
22:04 10:04 PM
19:04 7:04 PM
3 h behind Altos
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,763
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PYG – Paraguayan Guarani Converter

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5,686 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,393 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 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
  • Altos Mexico City 6,720 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Altos
  • 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
Altos vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Altos?
Altos is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, utilities, and transport. The 534% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Altos or Mexico City?
On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do food prices compare in Altos and in Mexico City?
Supermarket bills run roughly 111% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Altos runs roughly 63% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Altos or in Mexico City?
At $247 in Altos versus $1,567 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.
Is Altos or Mexico City more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Altos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 534% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Altos vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?