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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,305 per month in Best vs $1,447 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,211 per month in Best vs $2,310 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,117 per month in Best vs $3,174 in Mexico City, rent included.

Best costs about 59% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Best and Mexico City sit above the global median – Best by 72%, Mexico City by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 €17.81

$12.98 MX$223

59.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.8 €79.9

$52.6 MX$903

76.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.84

$9.43 MX$162

21.10%

Cappuccino

$3.39 €2.92

$3.57 MX$61.3

-5.04%

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

$3.33 €2.87

$1.61 MX$27.55

106.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 €2.39

$1.15 MX$19.81

140.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.16 €4.45

$3.15 MX$54.0

63.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 €5.09

$4.86 MX$83.4

21.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.70 MX$29.17

-31.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.80

$2.64 MX$45.23

-21.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 €2.75

$1.90 MX$32.67

67.89%

Eggs

$4.86 €4.19

$2.54 MX$43.62

91.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 €11.48

$10.08 MX$173

32.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.09 €13.86

$8.29 MX$142

94.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 €14.36

$11.57 MX$199

43.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$3.03 MX$52.0

-30.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.71 MX$29.35

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.05 MX$35.16

-4.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 €3.17

$2.06 MX$35.36

78.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.85

$2.06 MX$35.43

3.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.17 MX$37.25

-9.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.40 MX$24.08

-13.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 €0.45

$1.12 MX$19.26

-52.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 €9.00

$4.29 MX$73.7

143.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.63 €4.85

$15.41 MX$265

-63.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.67 MX$28.74

-7.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$3.69 MX$63.3

-26.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 €2.16

$0.38 MX$6.55

560.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 €60.9

$19.06 MX$327

270.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 €2.96

$1.38 MX$23.70

149.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.83

$0.28 MX$4.74

660.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.17 €25.13

$5.42 MX$92.9

438.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.28 MX$21.98

75.78%

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

$25.2K €21.7K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

32.66%

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

$28.0K €24.1K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

19.28%

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

$168 €145

$41.02 MX$704

309.90%

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

$22.87 €19.71

$26.92 MX$462

-15.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.00 €39.63

$29.69 MX$510

54.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.75 €24.78

$52.3 MX$898

-45.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.32 €18.37

$26.23 MX$450

-18.72%

Cinema Ticket

$14.67 €12.64

$6.18 MX$106

137.38%

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

$1,173 €1,011

$427 MX$7,331

174.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,940 €4,256

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-53.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 €56.4

$56.8 MX$975

15.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.81 €26.55

$44.83 MX$769

-31.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 €75.9

$105 MX$1,794

-15.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.0 €57.7

$106 MX$1,819

-36.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 €1,589

$995 MX$17.1K

85.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 €977

$621 MX$10.7K

82.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,559 €2,205

$2,126 MX$36.5K

20.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 €1,207

$1,254 MX$21.5K

11.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,137 €4,426

$3,903 MX$67.0K

31.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,525 €3,899

$2,096 MX$36.0K

115.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,140 €3,567

$1,107 MX$19.0K

273.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

11.34

-69.14%

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

Last update for Best: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,844 in Best versus $995 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.

Salaries run about 274% higher in Best, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Best versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $288 – making Mexico City 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

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

Yes – Best is pricier by about 59%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,458 per month in Best and $2,171 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,305 in Best and $1,447 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 271% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,447, than in Best at $2,305. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Best it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Best makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.