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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $737 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,204 in Caraguatatuba versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in Caraguatatuba versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Caraguatatuba costs roughly 50% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Caraguatatuba is 45% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.90 R$34.55

$13.18 MX$228

-47.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.11 R$131

$53.9 MX$932

-51.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 R$33.12

$9.42 MX$163

-29.72%

Cappuccino

$1.75 R$8.75

$3.55 MX$61.4

-50.70%

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

$1.06 R$5.29

$1.62 MX$27.98

-34.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 R$3.81

$1.11 MX$19.27

-31.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 R$9.19

$3.12 MX$54.0

-41.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 R$13.89

$4.63 MX$80.1

-39.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 R$4.41

$1.70 MX$29.43

-48.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 R$7.34

$2.72 MX$47.02

-45.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 R$5.95

$1.91 MX$33.07

-37.70%

Eggs

$1.69 R$8.45

$2.54 MX$43.86

-33.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.47 R$27.39

$10.03 MX$174

-45.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 R$14.89

$8.09 MX$140

-63.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.08 R$35.43

$11.62 MX$201

-39.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.21

$2.97 MX$51.3

-38.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.33

$1.81 MX$31.24

-8.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.81

$2.01 MX$34.82

-32.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.61

$2.03 MX$35.20

-15.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.77

$2.12 MX$36.75

-45.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 R$3.44

$2.27 MX$39.25

-69.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 R$3.31

$1.40 MX$24.22

-52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.37

$1.13 MX$19.55

-40.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 R$8.92

$4.27 MX$73.9

-58.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.09 R$35.49

$15.56 MX$269

-54.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$6.88

$1.76 MX$30.39

-22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.41

$3.60 MX$62.2

-42.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.64

$0.38 MX$6.62

144.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.52 R$103

$19.18 MX$332

6.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.31

$1.38 MX$23.79

-23.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 R$3.08

$0.28 MX$4.78

121.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 R$16.29

$5.45 MX$94.2

-40.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.33

$1.30 MX$22.55

-18.46%

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

$13.9K R$69.6K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

-25.57%

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

$27.1K R$135.7K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

17.27%

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

$51.7 R$259

$40.86 MX$707

26.51%

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

$11.52 R$57.6

$26.81 MX$464

-57.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.75 R$104

$29.96 MX$518

-30.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.48 R$97.5

$52.0 MX$900

-62.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 R$70.8

$26.84 MX$464

-47.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 R$36.70

$6.30 MX$109

16.35%

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

$198 R$991

$436 MX$7,544

-54.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,829 R$19.2K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-63.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 R$258

$56.7 MX$980

-9.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 R$281

$44.38 MX$768

26.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 R$357

$103 MX$1,780

-30.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 R$263

$106 MX$1,825

-50.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 R$1,857

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-63.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 R$1,037

$631 MX$10.9K

-67.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 R$3,853

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-63.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 R$2,383

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-61.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,575 R$7,880

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-59.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,153 R$5,770

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-44.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$330 R$1,654

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-70.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.15

11.34

-28.13%

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

Last update for Caraguatatuba: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Caraguatatuba and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 237% 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: $26.00 in Caraguatatuba vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $288 per month, with Caraguatatuba 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

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

Caraguatatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 237% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $371 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Caraguatatuba – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $737 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caraguatatuba but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Caraguatatuba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Caraguatatuba is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.