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: $649 in Cahul versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $953 in Cahul versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,258 in Cahul versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 61% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cahul is 53% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 MDL 153

$12.14 MX$206

-26.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.72 MDL 407

$53.9 MX$916

-55.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 MDL 186

$11.09 MX$188

-2.52%

Cappuccino

$1.69 MDL 29.04

$4.10 MX$69.6

-58.78%

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

$1.15 MDL 19.66

$1.68 MX$28.57

-31.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 MDL 9.66

$1.39 MX$23.58

-59.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 MDL 34.25

$3.33 MX$56.6

-39.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 MDL 32.59

$5.88 MX$99.9

-67.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 MDL 22.62

$1.85 MX$31.45

-28.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MDL 8.04

$3.17 MX$53.9

-85.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MDL 28.21

$2.07 MX$35.18

-20.77%

Eggs

$2.25 MDL 38.65

$2.93 MX$49.74

-23.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 MDL 121

$12.59 MX$214

-44.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MDL 81.7

$10.11 MX$172

-52.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 MDL 113

$16.09 MX$273

-59.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MDL 17.47

$3.39 MX$57.6

-69.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 MDL 40.90

$2.08 MX$35.31

14.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 MDL 33.04

$2.12 MX$36.02

-8.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MDL 42.11

$2.41 MX$41.01

1.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MDL 13.60

$2.13 MX$36.17

-62.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.24

$2.01 MX$34.07

-73.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 MDL 7.55

$1.55 MX$26.25

-71.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MDL 9.47

$1.36 MX$23.19

-59.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 MDL 58.0

$5.77 MX$98.0

-41.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.60 MDL 79.0

$17.74 MX$301

-74.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 MDL 24.55

$2.07 MX$35.16

-30.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 MDL 34.48

$4.61 MX$78.4

-56.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$360

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 MDL 49.41

$2.05 MX$34.89

40.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.28

$0.58 MX$9.80

-56.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MDL 101

$6.07 MX$103

-3.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MDL 26.35

$1.55 MX$26.38

-0.65%

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

$34.3K MDL 588.8K

$22.9K MX$388.6K

50.01%

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

$25.6K MDL 438.7K

$27.2K MX$462.7K

-6.13%

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

$236 MDL 4,050

$67.4 MX$1,145

250.14%

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

$8.07 MDL 139

$30.62 MX$520

-73.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.47 MDL 197

$37.24 MX$633

-69.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,044

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$461

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 MDL 133

$7.11 MX$121

8.72%

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

$116 MDL 1,998

$456 MX$7,750

-74.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,457 MDL 93.6K

$13.7K MX$232.6K

-60.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.16 MDL 809

$74.2 MX$1,260

-36.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$969

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.1 MDL 980

$115 MX$1,961

-50.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 MDL 901

$122 MX$2,064

-56.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$68.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 MDL 9,054

$1,082 MX$18.4K

-51.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-29.20%

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

Last update for Cahul: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 105% 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: $24.00 in Cahul vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $345 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 159% 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 105% 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 103% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $649 per month in Cahul versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $649 in Cahul versus $1,677 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 $649 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 159% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.