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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,534 per month in Chaves vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Chaves vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,829 per month in Chaves vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Chaves costs about 5% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chaves and Mexico City sit above the global median – Chaves by 14%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.28 €7.18

$13.18 MX$230

-37.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.88 €19.85

$53.9 MX$941

-57.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 €6.95

$9.42 MX$165

-14.86%

Cappuccino

$1.72 €1.49

$3.55 MX$62.0

-51.55%

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

$1.77 €1.54

$1.62 MX$28.25

9.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.52

$1.11 MX$19.46

-45.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 €1.95

$3.12 MX$54.5

-27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 €2.95

$4.63 MX$80.9

-26.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.70 MX$29.71

-36.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 €1.49

$2.72 MX$47.47

-36.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.91 MX$33.39

0.52%

Eggs

$3.11 €2.70

$2.54 MX$44.29

22.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 €9.68

$10.03 MX$175

11.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 €7.07

$8.09 MX$141

0.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 €12.10

$11.62 MX$203

19.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 €2.16

$2.97 MX$51.8

-16.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.81 MX$31.55

-14.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$2.01 MX$35.16

-2.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 €2.64

$2.03 MX$35.54

49.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 €1.13

$2.12 MX$37.10

-38.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 €1.64

$2.27 MX$39.63

-16.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 €1.46

$1.40 MX$24.45

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.81

$1.13 MX$19.74

-17.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 €5.24

$4.27 MX$74.6

41.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$15.56 MX$272

-74.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.94

$1.76 MX$30.68

-38.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.28

$3.60 MX$62.8

-26.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.03

$0.38 MX$6.69

515.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.63 €36.99

$19.18 MX$335

122.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.57

$1.38 MX$24.03

198.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 €1.03

$0.28 MX$4.83

325.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.32 €12.42

$5.45 MX$95.1

162.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.65

$1.30 MX$22.77

46.15%

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

$38.3K €33.2K

$18.7K MX$326.4K

104.87%

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

$39.9K €34.6K

$23.1K MX$404.0K

72.52%

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

$133 €115

$40.86 MX$714

225.60%

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

$21.11 €18.32

$26.81 MX$468

-21.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.60 €36.96

$29.96 MX$523

42.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.90 €38.09

$52.0 MX$908

-15.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.64 €4.90

$26.84 MX$469

-78.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 €5.94

$6.30 MX$110

8.73%

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

$348 €302

$436 MX$7,617

-20.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,364 €7,256

$10.4K MX$181.9K

-19.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 €64.4

$56.7 MX$989

31.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.87 €19.84

$44.38 MX$775

-48.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 €59.9

$103 MX$1,798

-32.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 €69.4

$106 MX$1,843

-24.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 €796

$1,022 MX$17.8K

-10.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 €622

$631 MX$11.0K

13.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 €1,284

$2,136 MX$37.3K

-30.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 €1,006

$1,243 MX$21.7K

-6.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,053 €914

$1,115 MX$19.5K

-5.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

11.34

-52.12%

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

Last update for Chaves: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $917 in Chaves versus $1,022 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 6% higher in Mexico City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Chaves versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $288 – making Chaves 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

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

Chaves costs about 5% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,300 per month in Chaves and $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 122% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $348 per month in Chaves and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Chaves at $1,534. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chaves it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,467 versus $1,534 in Chaves. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chaves makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.