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: $2,047 in Escazu versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,851 in Escazu versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,655 in Escazu versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Escazu is roughly 39% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Escazu 54% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.73 ₡4,830

$13.14 MX$229

-18.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 ₡27.4K

$53.5 MX$934

13.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.79 ₡4,406

$9.33 MX$163

4.93%

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₡1,751

$3.70 MX$64.5

5.14%

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

$1.98 ₡891

$1.60 MX$27.98

23.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₡743

$1.12 MX$19.49

47.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.00 ₡1,349

$3.14 MX$54.7

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 ₡2,069

$4.85 MX$84.5

-5.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₡879

$1.65 MX$28.84

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 ₡1,243

$2.71 MX$47.34

1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₡992

$1.91 MX$33.29

15.18%

Eggs

$3.03 ₡1,362

$2.59 MX$45.17

16.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 ₡4,567

$9.81 MX$171

3.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 ₡4,059

$8.43 MX$147

7.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ₡6,072

$11.93 MX$208

13.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 ₡1,966

$2.95 MX$51.5

48.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡686

$1.74 MX$30.35

-12.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 ₡1,967

$2.04 MX$35.66

114.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 ₡1,478

$2.06 MX$35.93

59.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ₡1,576

$2.15 MX$37.49

62.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 ₡1,460

$2.26 MX$39.33

43.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡429

$1.39 MX$24.17

-31.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,321

$1.12 MX$19.47

162.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.06 ₡2,279

$4.22 MX$73.6

19.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.00 ₡8,551

$17.51 MX$305

8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₡779

$1.71 MX$29.82

1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₡1,212

$3.63 MX$63.4

-25.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ₡436

$0.35 MX$6.15

177.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 ₡788

$1.38 MX$24.00

26.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 ₡805

$0.28 MX$4.81

539.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 ₡3,497

$5.28 MX$92.0

47.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₡636

$1.36 MX$23.69

3.68%

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

$31.1K ₡14.0M

$19.1K MX$333.2K

62.67%

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

$32.0K ₡14.4M

$23.6K MX$411.7K

35.45%

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

$66.7 ₡30.0K

$40.53 MX$707

64.47%

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

$25.68 ₡11.6K

$27.38 MX$478

-6.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.8 ₡22.8K

$30.38 MX$530

67.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 ₡47.3K

$52.2 MX$911

101.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.18 ₡4,581

$26.48 MX$462

-61.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.82 ₡4,420

$6.19 MX$108

58.64%

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

$565 ₡254.4K

$425 MX$7,414

32.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₡6.4M

$10.7K MX$187.2K

32.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ₡28.1K

$58.3 MX$1,017

6.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 ₡22.8K

$44.57 MX$777

13.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ₡56.6K

$103 MX$1,805

21.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡47.7K

$109 MX$1,897

-2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 ₡477.7K

$1,014 MX$17.7K

4.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 ₡475.1K

$623 MX$10.9K

69.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 ₡743.4K

$2,119 MX$37.0K

-22.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 ₡585.8K

$1,223 MX$21.3K

6.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,380 ₡621.0K

$3,792 MX$66.1K

-63.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,232 ₡554.3K

$2,110 MX$36.8K

-41.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,783 ₡802.5K

$1,052 MX$18.4K

69.50%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Escazu and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escazu pays 69% 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: $61.0 in Escazu vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $293 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 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 69% higher in Escazu, 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: $1,062 in Escazu versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Escazu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,047 per month in Escazu versus $1,472 in Mexico City – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $2,047 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 39% less than in Escazu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.