Cost of Living Comparison Between El Dorado, AR and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between El Dorado, AR and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,688 in El Dorado, AR versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,428 in El Dorado, AR versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,168 in El Dorado, AR versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in El Dorado, AR is roughly 15% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: El Dorado, AR 26% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 $17.66

$13.30 MX$231

32.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 $59.2

$53.8 MX$932

10.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 $11.36

$9.42 MX$163

20.59%

Cappuccino

$4.84 $4.84

$3.59 MX$62.3

34.82%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$1.62 MX$28.13

72.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.12 MX$19.49

108.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.25 MX$56.3

56.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 $6.14

$4.65 MX$80.6

32.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.64 MX$28.37

-37.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.65 MX$46.00

33.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.96 MX$33.99

52.55%

Eggs

$3.07 $3.07

$2.54 MX$44.08

20.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.79 $9.79

$9.97 MX$173

-1.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.53 $11.53

$8.39 MX$145

37.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 $16.55

$11.83 MX$205

39.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.86 MX$49.62

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.73 MX$30.05

-18.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.99 MX$34.50

43.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.05 MX$35.51

87.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.06 MX$35.64

-23.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.28 MX$39.54

8.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.45 MX$25.05

37.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.09 MX$18.83

60.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.31 $8.31

$4.27 MX$73.9

94.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.21 $12.21

$14.67 MX$254

-16.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.76 MX$30.58

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$3.57 MX$61.8

-39.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.38 MX$6.67

421.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.39 MX$24.09

76.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.30 MX$5.26

393.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.76 $23.76

$5.41 MX$93.8

339.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.34 MX$23.22

-43.28%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

27.35%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

12.60%

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

$137 $137

$40.30 MX$698

239.45%

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

$58.8 $58.8

$27.15 MX$471

116.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.76 $40.76

$29.46 MX$510

38.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.83 $43.83

$52.7 MX$914

-16.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$8.86 $8.86

$6.18 MX$107

43.37%

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

$1,030 $1,030

$441 MX$7,637

133.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K $18.8K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

75.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 $53.4

$57.2 MX$992

-6.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.40 $35.40

$45.04 MX$781

-21.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 $78.5

$103 MX$1,793

-24.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.8 $58.8

$109 MX$1,884

-45.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 $1,595

$1,000 MX$17.3K

59.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 $615

$632 MX$11.0K

-2.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,254 $2,254

$2,141 MX$37.1K

5.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$809 $809

$1,253 MX$21.7K

-35.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,716 $2,716

$3,745 MX$64.9K

-27.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,185 $2,185

$2,381 MX$41.3K

-8.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,154 $4,154

$1,079 MX$18.7K

284.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

11.34

-41.98%

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

Last update for El Dorado, AR: April 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in El Dorado, AR and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Dorado, AR pays 285% 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: $59 in El Dorado, AR vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $286 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

El Dorado, AR vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

El Dorado, AR pays 285% more on average, 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: $1,595 in El Dorado, AR versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in El Dorado, AR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,688 per month in El Dorado, AR versus $1,466 in Mexico City – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $1,688 in El Dorado, AR, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in El Dorado, AR. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in El Dorado, AR, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in El Dorado, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.