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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,032 in Escazu versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,800 in Escazu versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,569 in Escazu versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Escazu is roughly 37% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Escazu 52% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.96 ₡4,984

$12.98 MX$227

-15.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 ₡27.2K

$53.1 MX$929

12.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 ₡4,504

$9.72 MX$170

1.85%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₡1,773

$3.75 MX$65.6

4.00%

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

$2.06 ₡935

$1.57 MX$27.46

31.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₡757

$1.13 MX$19.76

46.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 ₡1,372

$3.18 MX$55.7

-5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 ₡2,117

$4.66 MX$81.6

-0.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₡936

$1.62 MX$28.37

27.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 ₡1,250

$2.71 MX$47.36

1.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,006

$1.88 MX$32.89

17.55%

Eggs

$2.94 ₡1,338

$2.51 MX$43.90

17.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₡4,484

$10.08 MX$176

-2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 ₡4,219

$8.29 MX$145

11.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 ₡6,243

$11.94 MX$209

14.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 ₡2,106

$2.86 MX$50.1

61.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₡678

$1.75 MX$30.62

-14.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 ₡1,916

$2.08 MX$36.48

102.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 ₡1,456

$1.97 MX$34.46

62.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,624

$2.16 MX$37.79

65.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 ₡1,472

$2.18 MX$38.16

48.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡430

$1.39 MX$24.34

-31.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₡1,344

$1.12 MX$19.69

164.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 ₡2,196

$4.20 MX$73.5

15.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.74 ₡8,522

$14.25 MX$249

31.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₡802

$1.76 MX$30.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ₡1,242

$3.68 MX$64.5

-25.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₡438

$0.39 MX$6.74

146.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 ₡757

$1.39 MX$24.26

19.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡805

$0.30 MX$5.32

490.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 ₡3,682

$5.42 MX$94.9

49.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₡632

$1.35 MX$23.63

2.96%

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

$31.4K ₡14.3M

$18.9K MX$330.5K

66.04%

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

$32.5K ₡14.8M

$23.2K MX$405.2K

40.33%

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

$66.2 ₡30.1K

$40.82 MX$714

62.25%

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

$25.87 ₡11.8K

$27.50 MX$481

-5.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 ₡22.8K

$30.38 MX$532

65.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 ₡49.0K

$53.4 MX$935

101.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.16 ₡4,621

$26.30 MX$460

-61.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 ₡4,446

$6.27 MX$110

55.98%

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

$580 ₡263.5K

$436 MX$7,632

32.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₡6.5M

$10.5K MX$183.2K

36.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ₡28.1K

$56.8 MX$993

8.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 ₡23.3K

$44.79 MX$784

14.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ₡57.4K

$103 MX$1,799

22.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₡47.9K

$108 MX$1,888

-2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 ₡484.5K

$1,000 MX$17.5K

6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 ₡481.6K

$620 MX$10.9K

70.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 ₡764.3K

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-21.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₡596.4K

$1,235 MX$21.6K

6.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 ₡738.7K

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-57.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,132 ₡514.9K

$2,332 MX$40.8K

-51.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,759 ₡799.8K

$1,067 MX$18.7K

64.81%

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 Escazu: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,065 in Escazu and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escazu pays 65% 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: $60.0 in Escazu vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 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

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

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Escazu pays 65% 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: $1,065 in Escazu 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 26% higher in Escazu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,032 per month in Escazu versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,032 in Escazu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Escazu. 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 Escazu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Escazu 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Escazu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.