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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,573 per month in Desamparados vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,387 per month in Desamparados vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,201 per month in Desamparados vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Desamparados costs about 6% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Desamparados and Mexico City sit above the global median – Desamparados by 17%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.72 ₡4,421

$12.98 MX$227

-25.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 ₡23.5K

$53.1 MX$929

-2.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 ₡4,645

$9.72 MX$170

5.04%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ₡1,749

$3.75 MX$65.6

2.67%

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

$2.07 ₡943

$1.57 MX$27.46

31.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡744

$1.13 MX$19.76

45.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 ₡1,389

$3.18 MX$55.7

-4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 ₡2,089

$4.66 MX$81.6

-1.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₡935

$1.62 MX$28.37

27.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,260

$2.71 MX$47.36

2.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₡1,001

$1.88 MX$32.89

17.02%

Eggs

$2.93 ₡1,333

$2.51 MX$43.90

16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 ₡4,418

$10.08 MX$176

-3.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 ₡4,198

$8.29 MX$145

11.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.85 ₡6,297

$11.94 MX$209

16.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 ₡2,032

$2.86 MX$50.1

56.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₡688

$1.75 MX$30.62

-13.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 ₡1,888

$2.08 MX$36.48

99.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 ₡1,507

$1.97 MX$34.46

68.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₡1,568

$2.16 MX$37.79

59.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 ₡1,374

$2.18 MX$38.16

38.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₡443

$1.39 MX$24.34

-30.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,270

$1.12 MX$19.69

149.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.07 ₡2,307

$4.20 MX$73.5

20.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 ₡6,856

$14.25 MX$249

5.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₡1,030

$1.76 MX$30.85

28.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₡1,188

$3.68 MX$64.5

-29.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡459

$0.39 MX$6.74

158.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₡837

$1.39 MX$24.26

32.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡809

$0.30 MX$5.32

493.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 ₡3,530

$5.42 MX$94.9

43.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡663

$1.35 MX$23.63

8.15%

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

$37.2K ₡16.9M

$18.9K MX$330.5K

96.89%

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

$32.5K ₡14.8M

$23.2K MX$405.2K

40.58%

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

$92.0 ₡41.8K

$40.82 MX$714

125.43%

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

$25.54 ₡11.6K

$27.50 MX$481

-7.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 ₡23.7K

$30.38 MX$532

71.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ₡25.4K

$53.4 MX$935

4.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.32 ₡11.1K

$26.30 MX$460

-7.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 ₡4,435

$6.27 MX$110

55.50%

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

$535 ₡243.4K

$436 MX$7,632

22.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.7M

$10.5K MX$183.2K

18.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ₡28.5K

$56.8 MX$993

10.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 ₡23.8K

$44.79 MX$784

16.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡57.8K

$103 MX$1,799

23.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₡49.5K

$108 MX$1,888

0.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡354.5K

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-22.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ₡269.9K

$620 MX$10.9K

-4.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 ₡687.5K

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-29.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$974 ₡442.8K

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-21.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

11.34

-10.32%

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

Last update for Desamparados: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $780 in Desamparados versus $1,000 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 $52.0 in Desamparados versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $351 in Desamparados vs $286 in Mexico City – so Mexico City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,573 in Desamparados, $1,484 in Mexico City – roughly 6% apart. Desamparados costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,360 per month in Desamparados and $2,225 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Desamparados and $53.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Desamparados, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Desamparados at $1,573. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Desamparados 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 $1,484 in Mexico City to $1,573 in Desamparados. 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, Desamparados makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.