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 $1,111 per month in Chaves vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,677 per month in Chaves vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,242 per month in Chaves vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Chaves is about 32% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chaves sits 19% below the global median, while Mexico City is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 €6.95

$12.11 MX$204

-33.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.81 €19.63

$52.2 MX$881

-56.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 €7.09

$10.90 MX$184

-24.50%

Cappuccino

$1.59 €1.37

$4.05 MX$68.4

-60.74%

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

$1.52 €1.31

$1.72 MX$28.95

-11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 €0.52

$1.38 MX$23.25

-55.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 €1.95

$3.47 MX$58.5

-34.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$5.81 MX$98.1

-52.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 €0.87

$1.85 MX$31.28

-44.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 €1.03

$3.22 MX$54.4

-63.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 €1.01

$2.09 MX$35.20

-43.54%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.73

$2.91 MX$49.10

9.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.45 €5.55

$12.49 MX$211

-48.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 €5.99

$10.11 MX$171

-31.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 €9.43

$15.89 MX$268

-31.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$3.31 MX$56.0

-65.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$2.13 MX$35.90

-46.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 €1.01

$2.19 MX$36.97

-46.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.45 MX$41.31

-51.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$2.19 MX$36.95

-4.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.90 MX$32.15

-37.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.62 MX$27.26

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$1.35 MX$22.78

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 €5.12

$5.43 MX$91.6

9.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.10 €3.53

$17.59 MX$297

-76.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.98

$2.07 MX$34.90

-45.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$4.75 MX$80.1

-75.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.34 MX$5.74

161.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.07 €25.01

$21.58 MX$364

34.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.18 €3.59

$2.04 MX$34.44

104.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 €0.59

$0.58 MX$9.75

17.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.41 €17.56

$5.97 MX$101

241.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.62 MX$27.27

29.01%

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

$34.7K €29.8K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

51.94%

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

$39.6K €34.1K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

48.55%

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

$138 €119

$65.2 MX$1,101

112.16%

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

$18.35 €15.79

$29.87 MX$504

-38.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.35 €28.70

$36.55 MX$617

-8.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.66 €22.94

$61.0 MX$1,030

-56.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 €4.95

$26.70 MX$451

-78.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 €6.68

$6.85 MX$116

13.28%

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

$237 €204

$453 MX$7,652

-47.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,777 €3,250

$13.4K MX$225.7K

-71.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 €62.9

$75.0 MX$1,265

-2.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.98 €19.77

$55.3 MX$933

-58.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 €57.6

$114 MX$1,917

-41.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 €81.1

$123 MX$2,070

-23.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 €435

$1,134 MX$19.1K

-55.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 €333

$712 MX$12.0K

-45.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 €848

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-61.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 €664

$1,311 MX$22.1K

-41.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 €1,675

$3,993 MX$67.4K

-51.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,491 €1,283

$2,095 MX$35.4K

-28.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,044 €898

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-0.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-73.45%

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

Last update for Chaves: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $505 in Chaves versus $1,134 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 0% 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 $23.00 in Chaves versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $345 – 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

Mexico City costs about 48% more than Chaves, 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 $1,667 per month in Chaves and $2,469 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 35% less in Chaves. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $237 per month in Chaves and $453 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 Chaves, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Mexico City at $1,646. In Chaves 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. Chaves costs $1,111 versus $1,646 in Mexico City. 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 Chaves. 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.