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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,799 in Aruba versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,039 in Aruba versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,279 in Aruba versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Aruba is roughly 91% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aruba 109% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 AWG 23.59

$13.18 MX$228

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 AWG 160

$53.9 MX$932

65.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.04 AWG 17.96

$9.42 MX$163

6.58%

Cappuccino

$4.90 AWG 8.77

$3.55 MX$61.4

38.03%

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

$2.31 AWG 4.12

$1.62 MX$27.98

42.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 AWG 3.73

$1.11 MX$19.27

88.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.19 AWG 7.50

$3.12 MX$54.0

34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 AWG 11.20

$4.63 MX$80.1

35.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 AWG 4.27

$1.70 MX$29.43

40.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 AWG 6.66

$2.72 MX$47.02

36.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 AWG 7.02

$1.91 MX$33.07

105.24%

Eggs

$5.61 AWG 10.04

$2.54 MX$43.86

120.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.39 AWG 58.0

$10.03 MX$174

222.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 AWG 11.66

$8.09 MX$140

-19.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 AWG 29.90

$11.62 MX$201

43.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 AWG 10.59

$2.97 MX$51.3

99.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 AWG 5.23

$1.81 MX$31.24

61.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.95 AWG 12.43

$2.01 MX$34.82

245.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.23 AWG 14.73

$2.03 MX$35.20

305.42%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 AWG 7.31

$2.12 MX$36.75

92.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 AWG 6.73

$2.27 MX$39.25

65.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.09 AWG 10.90

$1.40 MX$24.22

335.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 AWG 6.89

$1.13 MX$19.55

240.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.75 AWG 31.76

$4.27 MX$73.9

315.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.08 AWG 32.35

$15.56 MX$269

16.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 AWG 9.07

$3.60 MX$62.2

40.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 AWG 2.53

$1.30 MX$22.55

8.46%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$257 AWG 460

$40.86 MX$707

529.12%

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

$131 AWG 234

$26.81 MX$464

388.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 AWG 119

$29.96 MX$518

121.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 AWG 108

$52.0 MX$900

15.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 AWG 23.03

$6.30 MX$109

104.29%

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

$304 AWG 544

$436 MX$7,544

-30.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K AWG 31.7K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

70.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.48 AWG 88.5

$56.7 MX$980

-12.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.5 AWG 117

$44.38 MX$768

47.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 AWG 219

$103 MX$1,780

18.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 AWG 1,312

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-28.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 AWG 2,487

$631 MX$10.9K

120.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,140 AWG 5,620

$2,136 MX$36.9K

47.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,018 AWG 7,190

$1,243 MX$21.5K

223.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 AWG 3,391

$1,115 MX$19.3K

69.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-38.27%

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

Last update for Aruba: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Aruba and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 70% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $89.0 in Aruba vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $532 vs $288 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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

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

Aruba and Mexico City differ by about 91% in total monthly costs ($2,799 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Aruba pays 70% more on average, 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: $733 in Aruba versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 84% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,799 per month in Aruba versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,799 in Aruba, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Aruba. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Aruba 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.