Cost of Living Comparison Between Brunswick, ME and Merida Cost of Living Comparison Between Brunswick, ME and Merida

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,664 in Brunswick, ME versus $1,233 in Merida.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,807 in Brunswick, ME versus $1,944 in Merida.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,950 in Brunswick, ME versus $2,655 in Merida.

Living in Brunswick, ME is roughly 116% more expensive than Merida, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brunswick, ME is 99% above, Merida is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.93 $29.93

$10.73 MX$186

178.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$49.93 MX$864

141.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 $12.09

$8.02 MX$139

50.75%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$3.63 MX$62.9

69.70%

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

$2.80 $2.80

$1.17 MX$20.24

139.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.11 MX$19.13

116.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.86 MX$49.40

69.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$3.93 MX$67.9

109.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.38 MX$23.80

-28.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.60 MX$45.01

23.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.54 MX$26.70

127.92%

Eggs

$2.50 $2.50

$1.99 MX$34.37

25.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.02 $13.02

$10.35 MX$179

25.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 $10.58

$6.95 MX$120

52.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 $15.99

$11.16 MX$193

43.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.78 MX$48.02

24.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.36 MX$23.53

8.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.18 MX$37.69

103.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$1.79 MX$31.04

165.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.09 MX$36.21

58.37%

Onion (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$1.95 MX$33.65

128.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.04 MX$18.03

142.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.98 MX$16.99

90.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.05 $9.05

$4.25 MX$73.6

112.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 $13.11

$11.42 MX$198

14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.36 MX$23.60

2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.82 MX$48.79

-34.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.65 MX$11.19

215.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 MX$329

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.39 MX$41.41

-17.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.38 MX$58.4

-53.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.43 $29.43

$6.55 MX$113

349.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.31 MX$22.65

-35.88%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$15.7K MX$271.8K

89.34%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$21.7K MX$374.6K

72.12%

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

$158 $158

$82.9 MX$1,434

90.46%

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

$54.4 $54.4

$23.14 MX$400

135.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 $80.9

$28.69 MX$496

181.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.30 $43.30

$28.67 MX$496

51.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 MX$241

Cinema Ticket

$14.69 $14.69

$4.60 MX$79.6

219.35%

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

$1,293 $1,293

$390 MX$6,743

231.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$3,468 MX$60.0K

576.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 $50.6

$55.6 MX$961

-8.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.1 $76.1

$47.85 MX$828

59.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 $124

$91.9 MX$1,590

34.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$83.3 MX$1,442

60.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 $1,605

$502 MX$8,675

220.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$432 MX$7,476

218.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 $2,493

$1,056 MX$18.3K

136.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$799 MX$13.8K

120.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,810 $2,810

$2,385 MX$41.3K

17.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,252 $2,252

$1,327 MX$23.0K

69.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,700 $4,700

$626 MX$10.8K

650.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

11.68

-42.55%

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

Last update for Brunswick, ME: June 1, 2026

Last update for Merida: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,605 in Brunswick, ME and $502 in Merida. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brunswick, ME pays 650% 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: $121 in Brunswick, ME vs $50.0 in Merida for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $254 per month, with Merida 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

Brunswick, ME vs Merida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Merida is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Brunswick, ME pays 650% 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: $1,605 in Brunswick, ME versus $502 in Merida. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,293 in Brunswick, ME versus $390 in Merida. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Merida – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $121 in Brunswick, ME. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,233 in Merida versus $2,664 in Brunswick, ME, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Merida but tight or insufficient in Brunswick, ME. The gap between the two cities makes Merida the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Merida is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Brunswick, ME, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Brunswick, ME and Merida 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 Merida gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Brunswick, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.