Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $685 in Cahul versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,084 in Cahul versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,482 in Cahul versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 53% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cahul is 49% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.86 MDL 155

$13.14 MX$229

-32.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.06 MDL 633

$53.5 MX$934

-32.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 MDL 135

$9.33 MX$163

-17.36%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.76

$3.70 MX$64.5

-49.46%

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

$0.98 MDL 17.11

$1.60 MX$27.98

-38.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.44

$1.12 MX$19.49

-41.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 30.38

$3.14 MX$54.7

-44.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 MDL 40.80

$4.85 MX$84.5

-51.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 MDL 21.72

$1.65 MX$28.84

-24.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 9.11

$2.71 MX$47.34

-80.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MDL 25.74

$1.91 MX$33.29

-23.04%

Eggs

$2.59 MDL 45.38

$2.59 MX$45.17

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 MDL 184

$9.81 MX$171

6.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 MDL 97.0

$8.43 MX$147

-34.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.67 MDL 152

$11.93 MX$208

-27.33%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.71

$2.95 MX$51.5

-71.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 32.00

$1.74 MX$30.35

4.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MDL 29.99

$2.04 MX$35.66

-16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MDL 37.84

$2.06 MX$35.93

4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MDL 14.47

$2.15 MX$37.49

-61.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.40

$2.26 MX$39.33

-73.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MDL 22.71

$1.39 MX$24.17

-7.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.81

$1.12 MX$19.47

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 MDL 57.9

$4.22 MX$73.6

-21.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.57 MDL 80.2

$17.51 MX$305

-73.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 22.28

$1.71 MX$29.82

-25.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MDL 35.09

$3.63 MX$63.4

-44.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 MDL 35.33

$1.38 MX$24.00

45.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.38

$0.28 MX$4.81

-10.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 MDL 93.1

$5.28 MX$92.0

0.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 25.25

$1.36 MX$23.69

5.88%

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

$32.5K MDL 570.2K

$19.1K MX$333.2K

70.16%

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

$31.6K MDL 554.5K

$23.6K MX$411.7K

33.89%

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

$174 MDL 3,055

$40.53 MX$707

329.71%

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

$7.66 MDL 134

$27.38 MX$478

-72.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.73 MDL 188

$30.38 MX$530

-64.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 MDL 137

$6.19 MX$108

25.85%

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

$395 MDL 6,932

$425 MX$7,414

-7.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,490 MDL 131.4K

$10.7K MX$187.2K

-30.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 MDL 1,168

$58.3 MX$1,017

14.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MDL 948

$44.57 MX$777

21.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,957

$103 MX$1,805

7.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,166

$109 MX$1,897

13.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 MDL 8,901

$1,052 MX$18.4K

-51.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

11.34

-18.52%

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

Last update for Cahul: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 107% 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: $36.00 in Cahul vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $293 per month, with Cahul 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

Cahul vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 115% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 107% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $685 per month in Cahul versus $1,472 in Mexico City – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $685 in Cahul versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $685 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cahul 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.

Expats usually find Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.