Cost of Living Comparison Between El Viejo and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between El Viejo and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $726 in El Viejo versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,160 in El Viejo versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,594 in El Viejo versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in El Viejo costs roughly 51% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: El Viejo is 45% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.02 NIO 184

$13.14 MX$229

-61.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.48 NIO 1,300

$53.5 MX$934

-33.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 NIO 260

$9.33 MX$163

-23.79%

Cappuccino

$2.39 NIO 87.4

$3.70 MX$64.5

-35.41%

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

$0.83 NIO 30.51

$1.60 MX$27.98

-48.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NIO 27.27

$1.12 MX$19.49

-33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 NIO 48.84

$3.14 MX$54.7

-57.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 NIO 71.4

$4.85 MX$84.5

-59.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 NIO 46.55

$1.65 MX$28.84

-23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 NIO 90.8

$2.71 MX$47.34

-8.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 NIO 66.1

$1.91 MX$33.29

-5.24%

Eggs

$2.23 NIO 81.8

$2.59 MX$45.17

-13.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 NIO 413

$9.81 MX$171

14.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 NIO 249

$8.43 MX$147

-19.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 NIO 288

$11.93 MX$208

-33.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 NIO 141

$2.95 MX$51.5

30.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 30.92

$1.74 MX$30.35

-51.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 NIO 64.1

$2.04 MX$35.66

-14.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 NIO 81.2

$2.06 MX$35.93

7.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 NIO 144

$2.15 MX$37.49

82.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 NIO 80.5

$2.26 MX$39.33

-2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 NIO 37.32

$1.39 MX$24.17

-26.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.72

$1.12 MX$19.47

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 NIO 95.9

$4.22 MX$73.6

-37.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.56 NIO 533

$17.51 MX$305

-16.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 NIO 53.8

$1.71 MX$29.82

-14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 NIO 82.5

$3.63 MX$63.4

-38.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 NIO 53.6

$1.38 MX$24.00

5.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 NIO 252

$5.28 MX$92.0

30.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 NIO 47.41

$1.36 MX$23.69

-5.15%

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

$23.2K NIO 850.4K

$19.1K MX$333.2K

21.54%

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

$26.4K NIO 967.2K

$23.6K MX$411.7K

11.86%

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

$97.5 NIO 3,570

$40.53 MX$707

140.51%

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

$16.96 NIO 621

$27.38 MX$478

-38.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.93 NIO 1,389

$30.38 MX$530

24.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 NIO 286

$6.19 MX$108

26.17%

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

$126 NIO 4,615

$425 MX$7,414

-70.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,073 NIO 222.4K

$10.7K MX$187.2K

-43.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 NIO 2,793

$58.3 MX$1,017

30.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.4 NIO 2,690

$44.57 MX$777

64.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NIO 4,861

$103 MX$1,805

28.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,937

$109 MX$1,897

-1.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

11.34

-9.61%

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

Last update for El Viejo: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in El Viejo vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $293 per month, with El Viejo 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 Viejo vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Viejo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,088 in El Viejo and $2,208 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $126 in El Viejo versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in El Viejo – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $726 in El Viejo versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Viejo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes El Viejo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, El Viejo and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find El Viejo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.