Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuernavaca and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Cuernavaca: $1,011 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $33,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Cuernavaca
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Cuernavaca Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Cuernavaca

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,011

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cuernavaca and in Seattle, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cuernavaca and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,011 in Cuernavaca versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Cuernavaca $1,011
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,692 in Cuernavaca versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Cuernavaca $1,692
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,373 in Cuernavaca versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Cuernavaca $2,373
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Cuernavaca costs roughly 73% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cuernavaca is 25% below, Seattle, WA is 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.05 MX$149

$25.32 $25.32

-68.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.27 MX$707

$101 $101

-62.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 MX$134

$14.85 $14.85

-51.25%

Cappuccino

$2.43 MX$44.98

$6.59 $6.59

-63.13%

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

$1.27 MX$23.43

$3.22 $3.22

-60.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 MX$11.60

$3.14 $3.14

-79.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 MX$46.29

$8.18 $8.18

-69.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 MX$60.3

$8.03 $8.03

-59.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$31.33

$1.21 $1.21

40.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 MX$40.92

$5.12 $5.12

-56.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.52

$6.30 $6.30

-77.14%

Eggs

$1.92 MX$35.49

$4.90 $4.90

-60.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 MX$149

$19.10 $19.10

-57.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 MX$90.4

$18.50 $18.50

-73.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 MX$255

$23.03 $23.03

-40.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 MX$41.24

$5.81 $5.81

-61.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 MX$25.02

$1.95 $1.95

-30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 MX$40.07

$5.29 $5.29

-58.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 MX$30.92

$6.48 $6.48

-74.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 MX$31.62

$3.57 $3.57

-52.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 MX$32.06

$3.15 $3.15

-44.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 MX$28.25

$2.85 $2.85

-46.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$16.78

$2.42 $2.42

-62.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 MX$81.2

$12.75 $12.75

-65.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 MX$151

$14.99 $14.99

-45.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$22.55

$4.17 $4.17

-70.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 MX$61.4

$5.99 $5.99

-44.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$10.51

$3.04 $3.04

-81.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.69 MX$512

$110 $110

-74.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 MX$35.20

$2.55 $2.55

-25.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 MX$48.52

$1.64 $1.64

60.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.93 MX$202

$29.58 $29.58

-63.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$26.26

$1.42 $1.42

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

$21.0K MX$387.9K

$35.7K $35.7K

-41.28%

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

$24.1K MX$444.6K

$25.6K $25.6K

-5.86%

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

$57.3 MX$1,059

$299 $299

-80.84%

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

$18.78 MX$347

$70.8 $70.8

-73.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.19 MX$465

$88.3 $88.3

-71.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.75 MX$476

$79.5 $79.5

-67.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$5.44 MX$100

$17.12 $17.12

-68.22%

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

$217 MX$4,018

$3,013 $3,013

-92.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,075 MX$93.8K

$31.6K $31.6K

-83.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.29 MX$763

$77.2 $77.2

-46.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.18 MX$613

$55.1 $55.1

-39.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 MX$1,719

$126 $126

-25.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 MX$1,832

$163 $163

-39.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$7,110

$2,464 $2,464

-84.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 MX$6,140

$1,956 $1,956

-83.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 MX$17.7K

$4,711 $4,711

-79.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 MX$14.9K

$3,550 $3,550

-77.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$870 MX$16.1K

$7,346 $7,346

-88.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$606 MX$11.2K

$5,048 $5,048

-87.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 MX$12.0K

$6,286 $6,286

-89.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.4

6.85

66.42%

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

Last update for Cuernavaca: October 12, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cuernavaca

$332 32.9%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 489% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Cuernavaca

$234 23.1%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 132% $308

Eating Out

Cuernavaca

$142 14.1%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 188% $267

Clothing & Footwear

Cuernavaca

$120 11.9%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 57.8% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cuernavaca

$101 10%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 352% $357

Getting Around

Cuernavaca

$45 4.5%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 196% $88

Sport & Entertainment

Cuernavaca

$37 3.6%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 211% $77

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Cuernavaca and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 868% 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: $38.00 in Cuernavaca vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $542 per month, with Cuernavaca cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Cuernavaca

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

08:15 8:15 AM

07:15 7:15 AM

1 h behind Cuernavaca

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

341,029

737,015

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

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Between locations

Cuernavaca Seattle, WA 3,810 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Cuernavaca
Seattle, WA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Cuernavaca vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cuernavaca is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 276% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 868% lower in Seattle, WA. 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: $385 in Cuernavaca versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 132% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cuernavaca – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,011 in Cuernavaca versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cuernavaca but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Cuernavaca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Cuernavaca and Seattle, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cuernavaca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 276% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.