Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Ecatepec Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Ecatepec

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,157 per month in Guadalajara vs $1,170 in Ecatepec, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,844 per month in Guadalajara vs $1,892 in Ecatepec, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,530 per month in Guadalajara vs $2,614 in Ecatepec, rent included.

Guadalajara is about 1% cheaper than Ecatepec, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Guadalajara and Ecatepec are more affordable than the global median – Guadalajara 14% lower, Ecatepec 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.46 MX$181

$13.14 MX$227

-20.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 MX$672

$46.84 MX$810

-17.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 MX$138

$9.15 MX$158

-12.68%

Cappuccino

$3.19 MX$55.1

$3.57 MX$61.8

-10.64%

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

$1.38 MX$23.95

$1.32 MX$22.87

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 MX$16.12

$1.04 MX$17.92

-10.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 MX$36.38

$2.92 MX$50.6

-28.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 MX$67.3

$4.72 MX$81.6

-17.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.25

$1.37 MX$23.68

2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$45.76

$2.76 MX$47.75

-3.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.80

$1.84 MX$31.89

-9.78%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.44

$2.52 MX$43.66

-0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 MX$167

$8.13 MX$141

18.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 MX$133

$8.45 MX$146

-9.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 MX$179

$11.78 MX$204

-11.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$45.77

$2.98 MX$51.6

-11.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MX$25.16

$1.66 MX$28.76

-12.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.20

$1.98 MX$34.19

-9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.06

$1.97 MX$34.01

-20.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.12

$1.86 MX$32.12

-3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.73

$2.25 MX$38.97

-10.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MX$23.12

$1.38 MX$23.94

-2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.61

$1.09 MX$18.83

-0.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MX$76.0

$4.14 MX$71.7

6.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.22 MX$194

$15.85 MX$274

-29.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$28.00

$1.76 MX$30.36

-7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 MX$55.8

$3.63 MX$62.9

-11.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$8.92

$0.65 MX$11.27

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.91 MX$466

$29.24 MX$506

-7.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 MX$46.86

$1.61 MX$27.90

68.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 MX$27.58

$0.30 MX$5.23

430.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.68 MX$202

$5.45 MX$94.2

114.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.83

$1.26 MX$21.72

4.76%

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

$24.2K MX$418.2K

$18.1K MX$313.0K

33.60%

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

$23.7K MX$409.6K

$21.8K MX$376.8K

8.70%

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

$31.32 MX$542

$40.82 MX$706

-23.27%

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

$24.53 MX$424

$21.53 MX$372

13.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.53 MX$476

$29.74 MX$514

-7.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.01 MX$571

$25.17 MX$435

31.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.54 MX$338

$10.48 MX$181

86.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 MX$87.1

$6.37 MX$110

-21.04%

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

$187 MX$3,228

$338 MX$5,854

-44.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,425 MX$111.1K

$3,545 MX$61.3K

81.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.73 MX$860

$58.1 MX$1,004

-14.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MX$878

$44.50 MX$770

14.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 MX$1,703

$103 MX$1,779

-4.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 MX$1,572

$107 MX$1,858

-15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 MX$12.2K

$510 MX$8,824

38.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 MX$7,576

$398 MX$6,884

10.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 MX$23.4K

$917 MX$15.9K

47.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 MX$14.6K

$770 MX$13.3K

9.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,208 MX$55.5K

$820 MX$14.2K

291.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,998 MX$34.6K

$803 MX$13.9K

148.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$797 MX$13.8K

$582 MX$10.1K

36.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

11.5

-0.17%

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

Last update for Guadalajara: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ecatepec: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $706 in Guadalajara versus $510 in Ecatepec. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Guadalajara, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Guadalajara versus $47.00 in Ecatepec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $280 – making Guadalajara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Guadalajara vs Ecatepec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,157 in Guadalajara, $1,170 in Ecatepec – roughly 1% apart. Ecatepec costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,736 per month in Guadalajara and $1,756 in Ecatepec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guadalajara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Guadalajara and $47.00 in Ecatepec. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,157 in Guadalajara and $1,170 in Ecatepec. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Guadalajara, where all-in costs run around $1,157, than in Ecatepec at $1,170. In Guadalajara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ecatepec it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Guadalajara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,157 in Guadalajara to $1,170 in Ecatepec. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Guadalajara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ecatepec makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.