Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo Frio and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo Frio and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $825 per month in Cabo Frio vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,305 per month in Cabo Frio vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,784 per month in Cabo Frio vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Cabo Frio is about 44% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cabo Frio sits 38% below the global median, while Mexico City is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.28 R$36.34

$12.98 MX$227

-43.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.95 R$144

$53.1 MX$929

-45.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 R$30.51

$9.72 MX$170

-37.14%

Cappuccino

$1.95 R$9.73

$3.75 MX$65.6

-48.00%

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

$1.32 R$6.57

$1.57 MX$27.46

-15.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.83

$1.13 MX$19.76

-49.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.10

$3.18 MX$55.7

-42.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 R$13.88

$4.66 MX$81.6

-40.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.62

$1.62 MX$28.37

-30.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 R$8.79

$2.71 MX$47.36

-35.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.10

$1.88 MX$32.89

-24.47%

Eggs

$1.96 R$9.80

$2.51 MX$43.90

-21.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R$38.87

$10.08 MX$176

-22.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.11

$8.29 MX$145

-56.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.91 R$39.48

$11.94 MX$209

-33.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.45

$2.86 MX$50.1

-19.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.12

$1.75 MX$30.62

-6.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.55

$2.08 MX$36.48

-27.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.79

$1.97 MX$34.46

-20.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.43

$2.16 MX$37.79

-40.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.80

$2.18 MX$38.16

-46.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.40

$1.39 MX$24.34

-51.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.81

$1.12 MX$19.69

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 R$9.77

$4.20 MX$73.5

-53.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 R$39.81

$14.25 MX$249

-44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.04

$1.76 MX$30.85

-31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.23

$3.68 MX$64.5

-44.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 R$5.63

$0.39 MX$6.74

189.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.22 R$191

$18.66 MX$327

104.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.59

$1.39 MX$24.26

-19.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.45

$0.30 MX$5.32

130.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 R$36.88

$5.42 MX$94.9

36.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.56

$1.35 MX$23.63

-17.04%

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

$20.2K R$101.0K

$18.9K MX$330.5K

7.19%

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

$27.1K R$135.4K

$23.2K MX$405.2K

17.18%

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

$101 R$505

$40.82 MX$714

147.92%

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

$12.15 R$60.6

$27.50 MX$481

-55.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 R$93.9

$30.38 MX$532

-38.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.65 R$113

$53.4 MX$935

-57.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.66 R$108

$26.30 MX$460

-17.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 R$33.04

$6.27 MX$110

5.58%

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

$546 R$2,727

$436 MX$7,632

25.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K R$57.8K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

10.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.47 R$222

$56.8 MX$993

-21.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.94 R$204

$44.79 MX$784

-8.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 R$383

$103 MX$1,799

-25.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$310

$108 MX$1,888

-42.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 R$1,588

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-68.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 R$1,096

$620 MX$10.9K

-64.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 R$2,907

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-72.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 R$2,103

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-65.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 R$1,398

$1,067 MX$18.7K

-73.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

11.34

-0.09%

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

Last update for Cabo Frio: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Cabo Frio versus $1,000 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 281% higher in Mexico City, 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 $29.00 in Cabo Frio versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $286 – making Cabo Frio 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

Cabo Frio vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 80%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,238 per month in Cabo Frio and $2,225 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabo Frio, 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 $825 in Cabo Frio and $1,484 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 105% less in Cabo Frio. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cabo Frio, where all-in costs run around $825, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Cabo Frio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Cabo Frio. 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.