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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,075 per month in Castro vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,630 per month in Castro vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,184 per month in Castro vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Castro is about 26% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Castro sits 20% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.77 CLP 8,162

$13.07 MX$229

-32.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.44 CLP 41.4K

$53.8 MX$943

-17.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 CLP 7,480

$9.68 MX$170

-17.05%

Cappuccino

$2.84 CLP 2,648

$3.74 MX$65.6

-24.06%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,212

$1.62 MX$28.34

-19.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CLP 989

$1.16 MX$20.37

-8.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 CLP 2,945

$3.23 MX$56.6

-2.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 CLP 3,854

$4.74 MX$83.1

-12.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 CLP 1,050

$1.65 MX$28.89

-31.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 CLP 1,375

$2.75 MX$48.30

-46.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 CLP 1,281

$1.87 MX$32.87

-26.20%

Eggs

$4.44 CLP 4,131

$2.50 MX$43.86

77.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CLP 9,469

$10.20 MX$179

-0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 CLP 4,031

$8.25 MX$145

-47.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 CLP 8,275

$11.82 MX$207

-24.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 CLP 1,336

$3.01 MX$52.8

-52.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CLP 2,167

$1.81 MX$31.77

28.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,472

$2.00 MX$35.07

-21.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 CLP 1,953

$2.00 MX$35.00

5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 CLP 1,145

$2.08 MX$36.56

-40.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,264

$2.27 MX$39.85

-40.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,129

$1.46 MX$25.55

-17.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,135

$1.08 MX$18.88

12.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 CLP 4,920

$4.35 MX$76.3

21.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 CLP 7,371

$16.99 MX$298

-53.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,439

$1.73 MX$30.40

-10.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CLP 2,054

$3.58 MX$62.7

-38.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 CLP 700

$0.39 MX$6.79

92.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 447

$1.33 MX$23.25

-63.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,269

$1.34 MX$23.44

1.49%

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

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

0.97%

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

$21.7K CLP 20.2M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-9.08%

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

$129 CLP 120.5K

$40.69 MX$714

217.94%

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

$13.38 CLP 12.5K

$26.87 MX$471

-50.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.73 CLP 20.2K

$30.51 MX$535

-28.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.23 CLP 36.5K

$52.8 MX$926

-25.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.09 CLP 19.6K

$26.65 MX$467

-20.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 CLP 5,116

$6.51 MX$114

-15.67%

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

$433 CLP 403.4K

$428 MX$7,508

1.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 CLP 47.6K

$57.3 MX$1,004

-10.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.65 CLP 28.5K

$45.50 MX$798

-32.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 CLP 57.5K

$104 MX$1,825

-40.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 CLP 77.1K

$108 MX$1,891

-23.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 CLP 441.2K

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-52.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 343.4K

$623 MX$10.9K

-40.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 CLP 821.3K

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-58.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 CLP 580.4K

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-48.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$636 CLP 592.5K

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-38.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

11.34

-54.32%

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

Last update for Castro: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Castro versus $1,003 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 63% 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 $44.00 in Castro versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $292 – making Castro 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

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

Mexico City costs about 35% more than Castro, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,613 per month in Castro and $2,185 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castro, 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 $1,075 in Castro and $1,456 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Castro and $428 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castro, where all-in costs run around $1,075, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Castro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Castro costs $1,075 versus $1,456 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Castro. 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.