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: $2,657 in Brunswick, ME versus $1,233 in Merida.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,790 in Brunswick, ME versus $1,946 in Merida.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,923 in Brunswick, ME versus $2,660 in Merida.

Living in Brunswick, ME is roughly 116% more expensive than in 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

$29.41 $29.41

$10.49 MX$184

180.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$50.7 MX$889

137.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$7.98 MX$140

53.13%

Cappuccino

$6.41 $6.41

$3.67 MX$64.4

74.66%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$1.18 MX$20.69

148.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.07 MX$18.69

126.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.86 MX$50.1

76.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$3.91 MX$68.6

101.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.37 MX$24.11

-27.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.49 MX$43.75

30.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.57 MX$27.55

126.11%

Eggs

$2.46 $2.46

$1.91 MX$33.53

28.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 $13.33

$10.21 MX$179

30.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 $10.59

$7.12 MX$125

48.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.97 $15.97

$11.15 MX$196

43.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.87 MX$50.3

15.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.39 MX$24.39

9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.15 MX$37.74

104.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$1.71 MX$29.96

178.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.11 MX$36.94

52.61%

Onion (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.96 MX$34.31

125.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.07 MX$18.85

131.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.91 MX$16.00

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.81 $8.81

$4.12 MX$72.3

113.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.02 $13.02

$11.46 MX$201

13.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.30 MX$22.86

6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.86 MX$50.2

-35.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.61 MX$10.70

236.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.93 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.34 MX$41.01

-12.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$3.34 MX$58.5

-52.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.56 $29.56

$6.81 MX$119

334.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.27 MX$22.22

-29.13%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$15.7K MX$275.9K

83.29%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$21.2K MX$371.5K

76.17%

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

$159 $159

$84.4 MX$1,480

87.86%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$23.63 MX$414

131.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.9 $79.9

$29.08 MX$510

174.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.41 $43.41

$28.26 MX$496

53.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.85 MX$243

Cinema Ticket

$14.40 $14.40

$4.60 MX$80.8

213.04%

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

$1,293 $1,293

$382 MX$6,701

238.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$3,542 MX$62.1K

557.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$56.0 MX$983

-10.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.9 $74.9

$48.84 MX$857

53.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$90.4 MX$1,586

33.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$86.2 MX$1,512

52.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 $1,596

$517 MX$9,062

208.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,370 $1,370

$437 MX$7,658

213.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 $2,457

$1,063 MX$18.6K

131.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,813 $1,813

$810 MX$14.2K

123.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,000 $3,000

$2,357 MX$41.3K

27.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,605 $2,605

$1,280 MX$22.5K

103.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,775 $4,775

$620 MX$10.9K

670.73%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Merida: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,596 in Brunswick, ME and $517 in Merida. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brunswick, ME pays 671% 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: $120 in Brunswick, ME vs $51.0 in Merida for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 vs $253 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.

Average pay runs 671% higher in Brunswick, ME, 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: $1,596 in Brunswick, ME versus $517 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 $382 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 $51.0 versus $120 in Brunswick, ME. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,233 in Merida versus $2,657 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.