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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,572 per month in Denver vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,729 per month in Denver vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,885 per month in Denver vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Denver costs about 55% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Denver and Mexico City sit above the global median – Denver by 88%, Mexico City by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.15 A$22.77

$11.92 MX$206

35.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.5 A$130

$51.6 MX$890

79.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 A$13.63

$11.41 MX$197

-15.34%

Cappuccino

$3.57 A$5.03

$3.99 MX$68.9

-10.53%

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

$2.93 A$4.13

$1.66 MX$28.61

76.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.17

$1.33 MX$22.87

69.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.38 A$11.82

$3.47 MX$59.9

141.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 A$10.31

$5.90 MX$102

23.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 A$2.24

$1.88 MX$32.36

-15.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 A$3.40

$3.25 MX$56.1

-25.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 A$3.40

$2.16 MX$37.26

11.57%

Eggs

$5.79 A$8.16

$2.90 MX$49.94

99.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 A$13.16

$12.86 MX$222

-27.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 A$14.92

$10.05 MX$173

5.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 A$19.66

$15.86 MX$273

-12.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 A$5.74

$3.29 MX$56.8

23.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 A$4.13

$2.01 MX$34.60

45.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 A$4.27

$2.20 MX$37.93

37.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 A$7.15

$2.36 MX$40.63

114.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.78

$2.05 MX$35.43

30.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.61

$1.90 MX$32.79

34.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.00

$1.61 MX$27.68

31.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 A$1.98

$1.40 MX$24.09

0.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.21 A$53.9

$5.46 MX$94.2

599.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.07 A$18.43

$17.65 MX$304

-25.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.42 A$7.64

$2.06 MX$35.44

163.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.11

$4.68 MX$80.8

7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 A$4.39

$0.34 MX$5.84

814.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.7 A$128

$20.81 MX$359

335.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 A$5.17

$2.10 MX$36.15

74.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 A$2.37

$0.56 MX$9.64

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.69 A$60.2

$5.81 MX$100

634.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.69

$1.61 MX$27.68

-25.47%

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

$29.5K A$41.6K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

29.14%

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

$30.8K A$43.4K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

15.10%

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

$207 A$292

$65.2 MX$1,124

217.58%

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

$24.55 A$34.63

$30.09 MX$519

-18.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 A$73.9

$37.18 MX$641

40.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 A$89.9

$59.8 MX$1,030

6.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 A$22.97

$26.55 MX$458

-38.64%

Cinema Ticket

$15.86 A$22.36

$7.04 MX$121

125.28%

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

$2,310 A$3,258

$465 MX$8,012

397.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K A$31.3K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

67.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.0 A$123

$75.9 MX$1,308

14.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.76 A$68.8

$56.0 MX$965

-12.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 A$163

$112 MX$1,929

3.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 A$201

$121 MX$2,078

18.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 A$1,753

$1,103 MX$19.0K

12.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 A$1,868

$721 MX$12.4K

83.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,286 A$3,224

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-9.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 A$2,389

$1,293 MX$22.3K

30.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,833 A$9,636

$3,991 MX$68.8K

71.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,419 A$6,232

$2,090 MX$36.0K

111.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

11.3

-48.05%

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

Last update for Denver: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,243 in Denver versus $1,103 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in Denver versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $345 – making Mexico City 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,572 in Denver, $1,660 in Mexico City – roughly 55% apart. Denver costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,859 per month in Denver and $2,489 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 336% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,310 per month in Denver and $465 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,660, than in Denver at $2,572. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Denver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,660 in Mexico City to $2,572 in Denver. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Denver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.