Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver, CO and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver, CO and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,176 in Denver, CO versus $1,682 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,647 in Denver, CO versus $2,599 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,118 in Denver, CO versus $3,516 in Mexico City.

Living in Denver, CO is roughly 89% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Denver, CO 132% above, Mexico City 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$11.83 MX$200

70.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.0 $89.0

$52.2 MX$884

70.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 $11.75

$10.87 MX$184

8.10%

Cappuccino

$5.72 $5.72

$4.03 MX$68.2

41.94%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$1.71 MX$28.99

69.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.34 MX$22.70

61.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 $7.02

$3.39 MX$57.5

107.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 $7.90

$5.74 MX$97.3

37.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.89 MX$31.99

-39.15%

White Bread (500g)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.17 MX$53.8

60.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.57 $7.57

$2.05 MX$34.74

269.27%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$3.01 MX$51.1

75.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.51 $15.51

$12.61 MX$214

23.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.99 $16.99

$9.94 MX$169

70.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.34 $18.34

$16.00 MX$271

14.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$3.28 MX$55.6

57.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.06 MX$34.87

-3.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.09 MX$35.36

133.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$2.50 MX$42.44

113.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.05 MX$34.76

30.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.87 MX$31.70

53.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.57 MX$26.66

48.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.39 MX$23.64

84.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 $10.89

$5.38 MX$91.2

102.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.10 $20.10

$17.95 MX$304

11.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.02 MX$34.31

31.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$4.76 MX$80.7

-23.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.36 MX$6.13

647.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 $87.7

$20.80 MX$353

321.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.06 MX$34.92

74.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.56 MX$9.55

216.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.64 $29.64

$5.82 MX$98.6

409.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.54 MX$26.05

-33.77%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$22.5K MX$380.6K

57.13%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.5K MX$448.7K

-3.14%

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

$162 $162

$66.0 MX$1,118

146.14%

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

$75.7 $75.7

$30.98 MX$525

144.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$36.20 MX$613

88.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 $65.2

$57.5 MX$975

13.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.77 $24.77

$26.75 MX$453

-7.40%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 $14.90

$7.13 MX$121

108.98%

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

$2,397 $2,397

$457 MX$7,738

424.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.6K $33.6K

$13.2K MX$224.5K

153.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.4 $69.4

$75.8 MX$1,285

-8.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.83 $45.83

$54.1 MX$917

-15.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$116 MX$1,974

-9.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$122 MX$2,063

14.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 $1,988

$1,147 MX$19.4K

73.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 $1,713

$726 MX$12.3K

136.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,222 $3,222

$2,503 MX$42.4K

28.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 $2,609

$1,331 MX$22.6K

96.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,663 $5,663

$3,895 MX$66.0K

45.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,734 $3,734

$2,149 MX$36.4K

73.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,550 $4,550

$1,069 MX$18.1K

325.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

11.35

-44.67%

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

Last update for Denver, CO: August 17, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,988 in Denver, CO and $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denver, CO pays 326% 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: $89.0 in Denver, CO vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $499 vs $344 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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

Denver, CO vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 89% lower than in Denver, CO. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 326% higher in Denver, CO, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,988 in Denver, CO versus $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Denver, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $89.0 in Denver, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,682 in Mexico City versus $3,176 in Denver, CO, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Denver, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,682 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Denver, CO and Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Denver, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.