Cost of Living Comparison Between Ecatepec and Guadalajara Cost of Living Comparison Between Ecatepec and Guadalajara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,067 per month in Ecatepec vs $1,415 in Guadalajara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,841 per month in Ecatepec vs $2,274 in Guadalajara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,615 per month in Ecatepec vs $3,132 in Guadalajara, rent included.

Ecatepec is about 25% cheaper than Guadalajara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ecatepec sits 22% below the global median, while Guadalajara is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.72 MX$250

$14.61 MX$248

0.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.85 MX$813

$50.0 MX$850

-4.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 MX$188

$9.43 MX$160

17.29%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.8

$4.08 MX$69.3

-0.74%

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

$1.72 MX$29.14

$1.71 MX$29.06

0.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.32

$1.27 MX$21.56

-14.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 MX$58.6

$2.92 MX$49.67

18.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 MX$97.8

$5.72 MX$97.2

0.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$27.02

$1.94 MX$32.90

-18.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 MX$55.5

$2.81 MX$47.77

16.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$32.90

$1.82 MX$30.95

6.59%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.44

$2.62 MX$44.47

11.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 MX$152

$10.31 MX$175

-12.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 MX$176

$10.24 MX$174

1.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 MX$268

$12.49 MX$212

26.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 MX$58.1

$3.14 MX$53.4

8.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.08

$1.77 MX$29.99

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 MX$35.71

$2.16 MX$36.77

-2.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.60

$1.95 MX$33.12

25.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$36.40

$2.16 MX$36.69

-0.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.11

$1.91 MX$32.36

-1.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MX$19.82

$1.51 MX$25.70

-22.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 MX$24.22

$1.19 MX$20.22

20.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 MX$81.2

$4.88 MX$82.9

-2.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.31 MX$294

$11.68 MX$198

48.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 MX$35.70

$1.96 MX$33.34

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 MX$70.3

$3.70 MX$62.9

11.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MX$12.57

$0.67 MX$11.36

10.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.46 MX$551

$32.41 MX$551

0.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 MX$35.43

$2.29 MX$38.95

-8.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.40

$1.45 MX$24.59

-57.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MX$99.0

$13.09 MX$222

-55.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$25.94

$1.63 MX$27.69

-6.13%

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

$22.6K MX$384.6K

$22.7K MX$386.1K

-0.40%

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

$25.6K MX$434.7K

$25.9K MX$440.6K

-1.33%

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

$44.45 MX$755

$54.1 MX$919

-17.84%

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

$17.20 MX$292

$23.86 MX$405

-27.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.78 MX$625

$33.51 MX$569

9.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.37 MX$482

$34.05 MX$578

-16.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.95 MX$203

$11.91 MX$202

0.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.15 MX$121

$6.96 MX$118

2.73%

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

$381 MX$6,477

$270 MX$4,592

41.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,202 MX$88.3K

$11.4K MX$193.1K

-54.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 MX$1,215

$63.7 MX$1,082

12.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 MX$947

$45.02 MX$765

23.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,937

0.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 MX$2,108

$92.9 MX$1,578

33.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 MX$4,515

$912 MX$15.5K

-70.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 MX$2,461

$531 MX$9,023

-72.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 MX$12.7K

$1,787 MX$30.3K

-58.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MX$8,035

$1,044 MX$17.7K

-54.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$809 MX$13.7K

$3,367 MX$57.2K

-75.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$840 MX$14.3K

$2,069 MX$35.1K

-59.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 MX$9,881

$794 MX$13.5K

-26.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.68

-3.25%

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

Last update for Ecatepec: August 31, 2026

Last update for Guadalajara: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Ecatepec versus $912 in Guadalajara. 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 36% higher in Guadalajara, 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 $48.00 in Ecatepec versus $50.0 in Guadalajara. Groceries tell a different story – $328 in Ecatepec vs $301 in Guadalajara – so Guadalajara 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

Ecatepec vs Guadalajara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,067 in Ecatepec, $1,415 in Guadalajara – roughly 33% apart. Guadalajara costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,600 per month in Ecatepec and $2,123 in Guadalajara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ecatepec, 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 $48.00 in Ecatepec and $50.0 in Guadalajara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,067 in Ecatepec and $1,415 in Guadalajara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ecatepec, where all-in costs run around $1,067, than in Guadalajara at $1,415. In Ecatepec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guadalajara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Guadalajara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,067 in Ecatepec to $1,415 in Guadalajara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ecatepec. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guadalajara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.