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: $2,873 in Aruba versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,038 in Aruba versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,204 in Aruba versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Aruba is roughly 97% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aruba 115% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.13 AWG 23.50

$13.07 MX$229

0.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.6 AWG 164

$53.8 MX$943

70.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 AWG 17.74

$9.68 MX$170

2.38%

Cappuccino

$4.82 AWG 8.62

$3.74 MX$65.6

28.88%

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

$2.26 AWG 4.04

$1.62 MX$28.34

39.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 AWG 3.55

$1.16 MX$20.37

70.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 AWG 7.46

$3.23 MX$56.6

29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 AWG 10.65

$4.74 MX$83.1

25.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 AWG 4.13

$1.65 MX$28.89

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 AWG 6.70

$2.75 MX$48.30

36.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 AWG 6.98

$1.87 MX$32.87

108.56%

Eggs

$5.62 AWG 10.06

$2.50 MX$43.86

124.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.28 AWG 57.8

$10.20 MX$179

216.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 AWG 12.08

$8.25 MX$145

-18.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 AWG 29.91

$11.82 MX$207

41.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 AWG 10.64

$3.01 MX$52.8

97.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 AWG 5.07

$1.81 MX$31.77

56.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.05 AWG 12.61

$2.00 MX$35.07

252.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.16 AWG 14.60

$2.00 MX$35.00

308.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.96 AWG 7.09

$2.08 MX$36.56

90.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.84 AWG 6.86

$2.27 MX$39.85

69.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.95 AWG 10.64

$1.46 MX$25.55

307.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.70 AWG 6.61

$1.08 MX$18.88

242.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.43 AWG 31.20

$4.35 MX$76.3

300.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.21 AWG 32.59

$16.99 MX$298

7.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 AWG 8.89

$3.58 MX$62.7

38.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 AWG 2.57

$1.34 MX$23.44

7.46%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$254 AWG 454

$40.69 MX$714

523.10%

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

$130 AWG 233

$26.87 MX$471

384.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 AWG 119

$30.51 MX$535

117.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 AWG 109

$52.8 MX$926

15.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$12.96 AWG 23.19

$6.51 MX$114

99.08%

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

$301 AWG 539

$428 MX$7,508

-29.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K AWG 32.0K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

70.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.11 AWG 87.9

$57.3 MX$1,004

-14.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.8 AWG 116

$45.50 MX$798

42.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 AWG 214

$104 MX$1,825

14.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 AWG 1,307

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-27.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 AWG 2,485

$623 MX$10.9K

122.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,245 AWG 5,806

$2,109 MX$37.0K

53.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,068 AWG 7,280

$1,218 MX$21.4K

234.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,939 AWG 3,470

$1,038 MX$18.2K

86.82%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Aruba and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 87% 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: $92.0 in Aruba vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $529 vs $292 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 97% in total monthly costs ($2,873 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 87% higher in Aruba, 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: $730 in Aruba versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 81% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,873 per month in Aruba versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,873 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 97% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.