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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $681 per month in Contagem vs $1,448 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,082 per month in Contagem vs $2,354 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Contagem vs $3,260 in Mexico City, rent included.

Contagem is about 53% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Contagem sits 49% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 R$22.75

$12.96 MX$225

-65.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.31 R$94.5

$52.3 MX$908

-65.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 R$30.25

$9.69 MX$168

-39.53%

Cappuccino

$1.28 R$6.59

$3.75 MX$65.1

-65.87%

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

$0.92 R$4.74

$1.56 MX$27.14

-41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 R$2.40

$1.16 MX$20.10

-60.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 R$6.18

$3.24 MX$56.3

-62.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 R$11.27

$4.90 MX$85.0

-55.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.89

$1.70 MX$29.54

-44.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 R$7.88

$2.67 MX$46.30

-42.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.87

$1.89 MX$32.77

-19.58%

Eggs

$1.60 R$8.27

$2.52 MX$43.74

-36.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 R$42.32

$10.02 MX$174

-18.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.96

$8.53 MX$148

-61.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 R$26.41

$11.94 MX$207

-57.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 R$9.46

$2.97 MX$51.6

-38.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.85

$1.79 MX$31.14

-25.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.54

$2.00 MX$34.69

-56.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.83

$1.96 MX$34.03

-32.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.44

$2.16 MX$37.53

-51.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 R$4.37

$2.27 MX$39.38

-62.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.62

$1.40 MX$24.34

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.52

$1.11 MX$19.34

-38.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.19 R$11.30

$4.20 MX$72.9

-47.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.84 R$30.12

$16.54 MX$287

-64.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 R$5.36

$1.68 MX$29.19

-38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 R$11.05

$3.59 MX$62.3

-40.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 R$7.16

$0.39 MX$6.71

256.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 R$372

$19.19 MX$333

275.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 R$4.66

$1.38 MX$23.98

-34.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 R$5.18

$0.30 MX$5.24

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 R$42.00

$5.39 MX$93.5

51.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.51

$1.29 MX$22.32

-17.05%

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

$25.4K R$131.3K

$18.9K MX$327.9K

34.63%

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

$28.1K R$144.9K

$23.8K MX$413.0K

17.95%

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

$66.3 R$342

$39.86 MX$692

66.43%

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

$14.06 R$72.6

$27.83 MX$483

-49.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.15 R$83.4

$29.77 MX$517

-45.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.88 R$123

$52.0 MX$902

-54.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.86 R$113

$26.22 MX$455

-16.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 R$34.35

$6.27 MX$109

6.22%

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

$133 R$686

$433 MX$7,508

-69.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,753 R$34.9K

$10.5K MX$182.9K

-35.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 R$268

$57.0 MX$989

-8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.78 R$190

$45.33 MX$787

-18.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 R$366

$102 MX$1,768

-30.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.7 R$339

$109 MX$1,883

-39.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 R$1,058

$994 MX$17.2K

-79.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$122 R$631

$617 MX$10.7K

-80.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 R$2,220

$2,086 MX$36.2K

-79.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 R$1,391

$1,256 MX$21.8K

-78.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 R$9,964

$3,936 MX$68.3K

-50.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$980 R$5,056

$2,089 MX$36.2K

-53.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 R$1,353

$1,131 MX$19.6K

-76.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.83

11.34

-4.50%

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

Last update for Contagem: June 16, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $205 in Contagem versus $994 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 332% 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 $18.00 in Contagem versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $158 vs $292 – making Contagem 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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 113%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,022 per month in Contagem and $2,173 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 275% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $133 per month in Contagem and $433 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Contagem, where all-in costs run around $681, than in Mexico City at $1,448. In Contagem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Contagem – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Contagem. 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.