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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $976 per month in Benares vs $1,472 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,574 per month in Benares vs $2,359 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,172 per month in Benares vs $3,245 in Mexico City, rent included.

Benares is about 34% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Benares sits 27% below the global median, while Mexico City is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Benares
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.75 MUR 316
$13.14 MX$227
-48.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.23 MUR 2,025
$53.5 MX$926
-19.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.52 MUR 305
$9.33 MX$161
-30.12%
Cappuccino
$2.66 MUR 125
$3.70 MX$64.0
-28.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 MUR 48.37
$1.60 MX$27.76
-35.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 MUR 26.28
$1.12 MX$19.34
-50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 MUR 99.5
$3.14 MX$54.3
-32.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 MUR 126
$4.85 MX$83.9
-44.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Benares
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 MUR 71.1
$1.65 MX$28.61
-7.88%
White Bread (500g)
$0.70 MUR 32.97
$2.71 MX$46.96
-74.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 MUR 60.2
$1.91 MX$33.03
-32.98%
Eggs
$2.23 MUR 104
$2.59 MX$44.81
-13.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.70 MUR 454
$9.81 MX$170
-1.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.09 MUR 285
$8.43 MX$146
-27.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.35 MUR 485
$11.93 MX$206
-13.24%
Apples (1kg)
$1.97 MUR 92.2
$2.95 MX$51.1
-33.22%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 MUR 94.0
$1.74 MX$30.10
15.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.49 MUR 69.7
$2.04 MX$35.38
-26.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.60 MUR 122
$2.06 MX$35.64
26.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 MUR 47.84
$2.15 MX$37.20
-52.56%
Onion (1kg)
$1.02 MUR 47.65
$2.26 MX$39.02
-54.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.81 MUR 37.72
$1.39 MX$23.97
-41.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 MUR 26.32
$1.12 MX$19.31
-50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.12 MUR 286
$4.22 MX$73.0
45.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.22 MUR 385
$17.51 MX$303
-53.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 MUR 84.7
$1.71 MX$29.58
5.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 MUR 102
$3.63 MX$62.8
-40.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Benares
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.00 MUR 46.72
$0.35 MX$6.10
185.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.32 MX$334
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.49 MUR 210
$1.38 MX$23.80
225.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.61 MUR 122
$0.28 MX$4.77
832.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.48 MUR 725
$5.28 MX$91.3
193.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 MUR 68.4
$1.36 MX$23.50
7.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K MUR 1.7M
$19.1K MX$330.5K
85.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4K MUR 1.3M
$23.6K MX$408.4K
20.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Benares
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$50.4 MUR 2,361
$40.53 MX$701
24.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.43 MUR 863
$27.38 MX$474
-32.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.92 MUR 1,495
$30.38 MX$526
5.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Benares
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.06 MUR 1,783
$52.2 MX$903
-27.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.48 MX$458
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.14 MUR 287
$6.19 MX$107
-0.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Benares
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$155 MUR 7,258
$425 MX$7,355
-63.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,941 MUR 184.6K
$10.7K MX$185.7K
-63.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Benares
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.62 MUR 2,324
$58.3 MX$1,009
-14.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.59 MUR 2,042
$44.57 MX$771
-2.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.9 MUR 3,790
$103 MX$1,791
-21.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.3 MUR 3,759
$109 MX$1,881
-26.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Benares
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$520 MUR 24.4K
$1,014 MX$17.5K
-48.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$353 MUR 16.6K
$623 MX$10.8K
-43.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$939 MUR 44.0K
$2,119 MX$36.7K
-55.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$726 MUR 34.0K
$1,223 MX$21.2K
-40.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,792 MX$65.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,110 MX$36.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Benares
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,052 MX$18.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.25
11.34
-44.89%

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

Last update for Benares: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $520 in Benares versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Benares versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $293 – making Benares the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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
Benares vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Benares and in Mexico City compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $976 in Benares, $1,472 in Mexico City – roughly 51% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Benares compared to Mexico City?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,464 per month in Benares and $2,208 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Benares and Mexico City?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Benares, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Benares and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 38% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benares, where all-in costs run around $976, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In Benares it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Benares and Mexico City?
It depends on your priorities. Benares has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $976 in Benares to $1,472 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Benares or Mexico City safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Benares and Mexico City?
If budget matters most, go with Benares. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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