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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,608 in Forbes versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,730 in Forbes versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,852 in Forbes versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Forbes is roughly 56% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Forbes 89% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 A$24.69

$12.14 MX$206

45.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.7 A$121

$53.9 MX$916

60.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.74 A$15.02

$11.09 MX$188

-3.16%

Cappuccino

$4.14 A$5.79

$4.10 MX$69.6

0.98%

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

$3.03 A$4.24

$1.68 MX$28.57

80.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 A$3.20

$1.39 MX$23.58

64.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 A$10.93

$3.33 MX$56.6

134.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 A$10.48

$5.88 MX$99.9

27.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 A$2.32

$1.85 MX$31.45

-10.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 A$3.95

$3.17 MX$53.9

-11.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.29

$2.07 MX$35.18

14.01%

Eggs

$5.16 A$7.21

$2.93 MX$49.74

76.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 A$13.56

$12.59 MX$214

-22.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.34 A$13.05

$10.11 MX$172

-7.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.37 A$21.49

$16.09 MX$273

-4.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 A$5.22

$3.39 MX$57.6

10.03%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 A$4.31

$2.08 MX$35.31

48.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 A$4.68

$2.12 MX$36.02

58.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.90 A$6.85

$2.41 MX$41.01

103.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 A$3.65

$2.13 MX$36.17

22.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.45

$2.01 MX$34.07

22.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 A$3.53

$1.55 MX$26.25

63.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 A$2.31

$1.36 MX$23.19

21.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$39.79 A$55.6

$5.77 MX$98.0

589.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 A$20.31

$17.74 MX$301

-18.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.21 A$7.28

$2.07 MX$35.16

151.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 A$7.74

$4.61 MX$78.4

20.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 A$4.40

$0.37 MX$6.21

751.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.1 A$120

$21.18 MX$360

306.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 A$4.94

$2.05 MX$34.89

72.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.24

$0.58 MX$9.80

175.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.87 A$58.5

$6.07 MX$103

589.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 A$1.81

$1.55 MX$26.38

-16.13%

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

$27.9K A$38.9K

$22.9K MX$388.6K

21.79%

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

$31.2K A$43.6K

$27.2K MX$462.7K

14.62%

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

$210 A$294

$67.4 MX$1,145

212.05%

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

$27.37 A$38.26

$30.62 MX$520

-10.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$80.6

$37.24 MX$633

54.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 A$78.8

$61.5 MX$1,044

-8.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.63 A$26.04

$27.12 MX$461

-31.31%

Cinema Ticket

$16.06 A$22.45

$7.11 MX$121

125.88%

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

$2,166 A$3,028

$456 MX$7,750

374.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K A$29.5K

$13.7K MX$232.6K

54.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 A$111

$74.2 MX$1,260

7.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 A$76.5

$57.0 MX$969

-4.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 A$162

$115 MX$1,961

0.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 A$181

$122 MX$2,064

6.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 A$2,026

$1,148 MX$19.5K

26.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 A$1,833

$709 MX$12.1K

84.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,339 A$3,269

$2,577 MX$43.8K

-9.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,869 A$2,613

$1,295 MX$22.0K

44.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,620 A$9,253

$4,005 MX$68.0K

65.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,241 A$7,325

$2,130 MX$36.2K

146.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

11.3

-48.23%

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

Last update for Forbes: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,449 in Forbes and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $87.0 in Forbes vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 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

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

Forbes and Mexico City differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($2,608 vs $1,677 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,912 in Forbes and $2,515 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,449 in Forbes versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,608 per month in Forbes versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 306% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $2,608 in Forbes, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Forbes. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Forbes 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 56% less than in Forbes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.