Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Caen and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $1,671 in Caen, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Caen
🇫🇷 France
$1,671
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Caen and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Caen and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,671 in Caen versus $1,548 in Mexico City.

  • Caen $1,671
  • Mexico City $1,548

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,568 in Caen versus $2,436 in Mexico City.

  • Caen $2,568
  • Mexico City $2,436

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,466 in Caen versus $3,323 in Mexico City.

  • Caen $3,466
  • Mexico City $3,323

Living in Caen is roughly 8% more expensive than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Caen 23% above, Mexico City 14% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Caen
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.56 €14.73
$11.02 MX$204
50.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.2 €49.11
$48.68 MX$900
13.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.50 €12.01
$10.90 MX$201
23.85%
Cappuccino
$2.84 €2.53
$3.68 MX$68.1
-22.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 €2.71
$1.63 MX$30.18
87.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 €1.82
$1.25 MX$23.07
64.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.38 €7.46
$3.25 MX$60.1
157.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.49 €4.88
$5.53 MX$102
-0.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Caen
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 €1.20
$1.70 MX$31.50
-20.59%
White Bread (500g)
$1.78 €1.59
$3.02 MX$55.8
-41.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.98 €1.76
$1.92 MX$35.53
3.13%
Eggs
$3.81 €3.39
$2.73 MX$50.5
39.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.96 €8.86
$11.77 MX$218
-15.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.74 €10.44
$9.53 MX$176
23.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.28 €14.48
$14.41 MX$266
12.98%
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 €2.76
$3.02 MX$55.8
2.65%
Banana (1kg)
$3.01 €2.68
$1.89 MX$35.01
59.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.51 €1.34
$1.99 MX$36.70
-24.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.17 €3.71
$2.19 MX$40.38
90.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.80 €1.60
$1.92 MX$35.43
-6.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.87 MX$34.49
5.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.65 €1.47
$1.44 MX$26.62
14.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.15 €0.13
$1.27 MX$23.39
-88.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.15 €11.70
$5.22 MX$96.4
151.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.59 €4.98
$16.17 MX$299
-65.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.48 €1.32
$1.90 MX$35.03
-22.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 €1.47
$4.22 MX$78.0
-60.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Caen
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.78 €1.58
$0.34 MX$6.30
423.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$49.59 €44.11
$19.65 MX$363
152.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.00 MX$36.90
12.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.12 €0.99
$0.52 MX$9.67
115.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.41 €28.83
$5.34 MX$98.7
506.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.10 €1.86
$1.52 MX$28.13
38.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3K €30.5K
$22.1K MX$408.0K
55.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.4K €32.4K
$24.5K MX$452.9K
48.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Caen
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$138 €123
$61.1 MX$1,129
126.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.70 €29.08
$28.58 MX$528
14.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.85 €28.33
$34.47 MX$637
-7.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Caen
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.94 €28.41
$56.4 MX$1,042
-43.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.48 €20.00
$24.88 MX$460
-9.65%
Cinema Ticket
$10.13 €9.01
$6.66 MX$123
52.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Caen
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$879 €782
$427 MX$7,891
105.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.6K MX$215.0K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Caen
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 €96.3
$67.8 MX$1,253
59.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.80 €34.52
$52.0 MX$960
-25.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €89.8
$106 MX$1,959
-4.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$151 €135
$113 MX$2,080
34.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Caen
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$760 €676
$1,025 MX$18.9K
-25.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$600 €534
$654 MX$12.1K
-8.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,566 €1,393
$2,308 MX$42.7K
-32.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,042 €927
$1,242 MX$22.9K
-16.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,496 €3,999
$3,613 MX$66.8K
24.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,553 €2,270
$1,936 MX$35.8K
31.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Caen
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,379 €2,116
$964 MX$17.8K
146.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.79
11.3
-66.46%

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

Last update for Caen: October 18, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Caen
$600
Mexico City
$654 9.1% $54
Groceries & Markets
Caen
$292
Mexico City
$318 9% $26
Eating Out
Caen
$280
Mexico City
$204 27.3% $77
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Caen
$203
Mexico City
$124 38.7% $79
Clothing & Footwear
Caen
$180
Mexico City
$152 15.2% $27
Getting Around
Caen
$65
Mexico City
$26 60.3% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Caen
$52
Mexico City
$70 33.5% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $760 in Caen and $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Caen pays 147% 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: $55.0 in Caen vs $49.00 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $318, with Caen cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Caen
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
09:36 9:36 AM
01:36 1:36 AM
8 h behind Caen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
108,200
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Caen Mexico City 9,000 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Caen
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Caen vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Caen and in Mexico City?
Caen and Mexico City differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,671 vs $1,548 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Caen or Mexico City?
Average pay runs 147% higher in Caen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Caen and in Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $760 in Caen versus $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Caen and in Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 152% less than in Caen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Caen and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $879 in Caen versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,548 in Mexico City versus $1,671 in Caen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Caen. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Caen and Mexico City?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Caen or Mexico City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Caen 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.
Where should expats move: Caen or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Caen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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