🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $884 in Cabarete versus $1,484 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,347 in Cabarete versus $2,381 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,810 in Cabarete versus $3,278 in Mexico City.
🙂Living in Cabarete costs roughly 40% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Cabarete is 34% below, Mexico City is 11% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cabarete
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.25DOP 369
$12.98MX$227
-51.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.25DOP 2,142
$53.1MX$929
-31.69%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.19DOP 366
$9.72MX$170
-36.32%
Cappuccino
$2.26DOP 133
$3.75MX$65.6
-39.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04DOP 61.4
$1.57MX$27.46
-33.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83DOP 48.82
$1.13MX$19.76
-26.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.51DOP 148
$3.18MX$55.7
-21.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70DOP 219
$4.66MX$81.6
-20.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cabarete
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.91DOP 53.6
$1.62MX$28.37
-43.83%
White Bread(500g)
$1.36DOP 80.5
$2.71MX$47.36
-49.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.51DOP 89.4
$1.88MX$32.89
-19.68%
Eggs
$1.65DOP 97.7
$2.51MX$43.90
-34.26%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.95DOP 410
$10.08MX$176
-31.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.59DOP 271
$8.29MX$145
-44.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.52DOP 326
$11.94MX$209
-53.77%
Apples(1kg)
$0.92DOP 54.1
$2.86MX$50.1
-67.83%
Banana(1kg)
$0.87DOP 51.1
$1.75MX$30.62
-50.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.93DOP 114
$2.08MX$36.48
-7.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.33DOP 78.8
$1.97MX$34.46
-32.49%
Potato(1kg)
$1.07DOP 63.5
$2.16MX$37.79
-50.46%
Onion(1kg)
$1.77DOP 104
$2.18MX$38.16
-18.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.11DOP 65.4
$1.39MX$24.34
-20.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95DOP 56.2
$1.12MX$19.69
-15.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.35DOP 198
$4.20MX$73.5
-20.24%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.73DOP 693
$14.25MX$249
-17.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.37DOP 140
$1.76MX$30.85
34.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75DOP 162
$3.68MX$64.5
-25.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Cabarete
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.70DOP 41.15
$0.39MX$6.74
79.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$18.66MX$327
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.30DOP 195
$1.39MX$24.26
137.41%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.13DOP 126
$0.30MX$5.32
610.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.84DOP 345
$5.42MX$94.9
7.75%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29DOP 76.1
$1.35MX$23.63
-4.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8KDOP 1.6M
$18.9KMX$330.5K
41.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6KDOP 1.9M
$23.2KMX$405.2K
36.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cabarete
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$51.7DOP 3,055
$40.82MX$714
26.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.48DOP 1,505
$27.50MX$481
-7.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.70DOP 987
$30.38MX$532
-45.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cabarete
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.36DOP 2,562
$53.4MX$935
-18.85%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.30MX$460
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.94DOP 410
$6.27MX$110
10.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cabarete
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$269DOP 15.9K
$436MX$7,632
-38.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,153DOP 481.8K
$10.5KMX$183.2K
-22.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cabarete
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.2DOP 3,557
$56.8MX$993
6.04%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.6DOP 2,992
$44.79MX$784
13.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.0DOP 5,615
$103MX$1,799
-7.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117DOP 6,885
$108MX$1,888
7.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cabarete
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$874DOP 51.6K
$1,000MX$17.5K
-12.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$260DOP 15.3K
$620MX$10.9K
-58.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$601DOP 35.5K
$2,137MX$37.4K
-71.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$369DOP 21.8K
$1,235MX$21.6K
-70.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,865MX$67.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$307DOP 18.1K
$2,332MX$40.8K
-86.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cabarete
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,067MX$18.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
12.9
11.34
13.76%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cabarete: April 27, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $874 in Cabarete and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $36.00 in Cabarete vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $286 per month, with Cabarete 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
Cabarete vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cabarete or Mexico City?
Cabarete wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cabarete the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cabarete vs Mexico City?
You'd need roughly $1,326 in Cabarete 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Cabarete vs Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $874 in Cabarete versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Cabarete and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $269 in Cabarete versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Cabarete vs Mexico City?
Dining out is cheaper in Cabarete – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Cabarete or Mexico City?
At $884 in Cabarete versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cabarete but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cabarete the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cabarete or Mexico City?
Both work as nomad bases, but Cabarete delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $884 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cabarete hard to pass up.
How safe is Cabarete compared to Mexico City?
Safety-wise, Cabarete and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Cabarete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.