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: $1,697 in El Dorado, AR versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,490 in El Dorado, AR versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,283 in El Dorado, AR versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in El Dorado, AR is roughly 3% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: El Dorado, AR 23% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 $17.33

$12.11 MX$204

43.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$52.2 MX$881

12.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 $11.09

$10.90 MX$184

1.74%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$4.05 MX$68.4

27.65%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$1.72 MX$28.95

77.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.38 MX$23.25

75.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.47 MX$58.5

42.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.46 $6.46

$5.81 MX$98.1

11.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.85 MX$31.28

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.22 MX$54.4

-15.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.09 MX$35.20

34.93%

Eggs

$3.42 $3.42

$2.91 MX$49.10

17.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 $9.96

$12.49 MX$211

-20.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 $12.00

$10.11 MX$171

18.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.26 $22.26

$15.89 MX$268

40.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.31 MX$56.0

36.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.13 MX$35.90

-30.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.19 MX$36.97

28.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.45 MX$41.31

60.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.19 MX$36.95

-27.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.90 MX$32.15

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.62 MX$27.26

22.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.35 MX$22.78

37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 $9.25

$5.43 MX$91.6

70.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 $11.90

$17.59 MX$297

-32.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.07 MX$34.90

-14.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$4.75 MX$80.1

-64.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.34 MX$5.74

514.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.04 MX$34.44

21.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.58 MX$9.75

151.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.25 $24.25

$5.97 MX$101

306.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.62 MX$27.27

-44.44%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

63.20%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

-4.49%

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

$134 $134

$65.2 MX$1,101

105.99%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$29.87 MX$504

97.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.30 $39.30

$36.55 MX$617

7.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.29 $42.29

$61.0 MX$1,030

-30.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 $9.25

$6.85 MX$116

35.04%

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

$1,045 $1,045

$453 MX$7,652

130.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K $19.0K

$13.4K MX$225.7K

41.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 $50.3

$75.0 MX$1,265

-32.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.70 $34.70

$55.3 MX$933

-37.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 $79.7

$114 MX$1,917

-29.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.9 $60.9

$123 MX$2,070

-50.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 $1,518

$1,134 MX$19.1K

33.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 $661

$712 MX$12.0K

-7.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,865 $1,865

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-27.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 $944

$1,311 MX$22.1K

-28.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,632 $2,632

$3,993 MX$67.4K

-34.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,452 $2,452

$2,095 MX$35.4K

17.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,116 $4,116

$1,047 MX$17.7K

293.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

11.3

-44.69%

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

Last update for El Dorado, AR: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,518 in El Dorado, AR and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Dorado, AR pays 293% 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: $59.0 in El Dorado, AR vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $345 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 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 293% higher in El Dorado, AR, 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: $1,518 in El Dorado, AR versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in El Dorado, AR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,697 per month in El Dorado, AR versus $1,646 in Mexico City – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,697 in El Dorado, AR, a $3,000 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 3% less than in El Dorado, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.