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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $982 in Arzamas versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Arzamas versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,021 in Arzamas versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Arzamas costs roughly 34% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arzamas is 27% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 ₽705

$12.98 MX$226

-27.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.81 ₽2,840

$53.1 MX$923

-28.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ₽435

$9.72 MX$169

-40.43%

Cappuccino

$2.30 ₽173

$3.75 MX$65.2

-38.67%

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

$1.08 ₽81.0

$1.57 MX$27.30

-31.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₽36.04

$1.13 MX$19.64

-57.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ₽107

$3.18 MX$55.3

-55.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 ₽187

$4.66 MX$81.1

-46.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₽82.4

$1.62 MX$28.21

-32.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 ₽52.3

$2.71 MX$47.09

-74.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 ₽103

$1.88 MX$32.70

-27.13%

Eggs

$1.71 ₽129

$2.51 MX$43.65

-31.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 ₽829

$10.08 MX$175

9.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 ₽355

$8.29 MX$144

-43.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ₽678

$11.94 MX$208

-24.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ₽136

$2.86 MX$49.77

-36.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ₽140

$1.75 MX$30.45

6.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ₽144

$2.08 MX$36.27

-8.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 ₽211

$1.97 MX$34.27

42.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₽64.5

$2.16 MX$37.58

-60.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₽49.67

$2.18 MX$37.94

-69.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₽107

$1.39 MX$24.20

2.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₽49.37

$1.12 MX$19.57

-41.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₽217

$4.20 MX$73.1

-31.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.59 ₽495

$14.25 MX$248

-53.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₽71.5

$1.76 MX$30.68

-46.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₽146

$3.68 MX$64.1

-47.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ₽36.84

$0.39 MX$6.71

25.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₽139

$1.39 MX$24.12

33.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₽26.56

$0.30 MX$5.29

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 ₽490

$5.42 MX$94.3

20.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 ₽57.2

$1.35 MX$23.50

-43.70%

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

$34.5K ₽2.6M

$18.9K MX$328.6K

82.93%

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

$35.2K ₽2.6M

$23.2K MX$402.8K

51.84%

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

$108 ₽8,080

$40.82 MX$710

163.45%

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

$5.83 ₽438

$27.50 MX$479

-78.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.60 ₽571

$30.38 MX$529

-74.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.09 ₽2,637

$53.4 MX$930

-34.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$5.19 ₽390

$6.27 MX$109

-17.22%

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

$322 ₽24.2K

$436 MX$7,588

-26.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,020 ₽527.4K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-32.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 ₽5,209

$56.8 MX$988

22.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.57 ₽3,273

$44.79 MX$779

-2.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₽8,488

$103 MX$1,789

9.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₽7,973

$108 MX$1,878

-1.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₽33.9K

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-54.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 ₽22.7K

$620 MX$10.8K

-51.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₽58.1K

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-63.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₽38.0K

$1,235 MX$21.5K

-59.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,156 ₽162.0K

$3,865 MX$67.3K

-44.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,336 ₽100.4K

$2,332 MX$40.6K

-42.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.33

11.34

35.19%

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

Last update for Arzamas: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $451 in Arzamas and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Arzamas vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $286 per month, with Arzamas cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Arzamas and Mexico City differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($982 vs $1,484 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,472 in Arzamas and $2,225 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $451 in Arzamas versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $982 per month in Arzamas versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $982 in Arzamas versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arzamas but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Arzamas 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.

Expats usually find Arzamas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.