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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,457 in Arecibo versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,192 in Arecibo versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,928 in Arecibo versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arecibo 9% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.02 $12.02

$13.07 MX$229

-8.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.65 $49.65

$53.8 MX$940

-7.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 $7.68

$9.68 MX$169

-20.66%

Cappuccino

$3.34 $3.34

$3.74 MX$65.4

-10.70%

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

$1.47 $1.47

$1.62 MX$28.25

-9.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.16 MX$20.31

18.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 $2.01

$3.23 MX$56.4

-37.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$4.74 MX$82.9

-17.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.65 MX$28.80

3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.75 MX$48.15

24.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.87 MX$32.77

12.83%

Eggs

$3.82 $3.82

$2.50 MX$43.72

52.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 $9.05

$10.20 MX$178

-11.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 $6.64

$8.25 MX$144

-19.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 $8.86

$11.82 MX$207

-25.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$3.01 MX$52.6

92.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.81 MX$31.67

6.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.00 MX$34.96

91.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.00 MX$34.89

97.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.08 MX$36.45

85.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.27 MX$39.72

34.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.46 MX$25.47

56.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.08 MX$18.82

34.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.22 $8.22

$4.35 MX$76.0

88.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.37 $15.37

$16.99 MX$297

-9.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.73 MX$30.31

24.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.58 MX$62.5

-8.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.39 MX$6.77

407.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.75 $39.75

$18.69 MX$327

112.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.28 MX$4.89

428.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.26 $15.26

$5.25 MX$91.8

190.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.34 MX$23.37

-29.10%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$19.4K MX$339.4K

83.54%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$23.8K MX$416.7K

0.46%

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

$183 $183

$40.69 MX$712

350.04%

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

$77.9 $77.9

$26.87 MX$470

189.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$30.51 MX$534

130.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 $40.42

$52.8 MX$923

-23.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 $7.12

$6.51 MX$114

9.37%

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

$466 $466

$428 MX$7,485

8.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,970 $3,970

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-62.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.26 $45.26

$57.3 MX$1,001

-20.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.25 $15.25

$45.50 MX$796

-66.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 $92.7

$104 MX$1,819

-10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.4 $81.4

$108 MX$1,885

-24.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 $501

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-50.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 $397

$623 MX$10.9K

-36.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 $1,030

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-51.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 $670

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-44.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,184 $1,184

$1,038 MX$18.1K

14.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

11.34

-63.23%

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

Last update for Arecibo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $501 in Arecibo and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arecibo pays 14% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $50.0 in Arecibo vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $330 vs $292, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Average pay runs 14% higher in Arecibo, 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: $501 in Arecibo versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 113% less than in Arecibo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Arecibo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,457 in Arecibo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Arecibo. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Arecibo 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, Arecibo on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.