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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,628 in Ilopango versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Ilopango versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,084 in Ilopango versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Ilopango is roughly 12% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ilopango 22% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 $3.16

$13.07 MX$229

-75.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.55 $44.55

$53.8 MX$943

-17.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 $5.07

$9.68 MX$170

-47.62%

Cappuccino

$2.96 $2.96

$3.74 MX$65.6

-20.86%

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

$0.87 $0.87

$1.62 MX$28.34

-46.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.16 MX$20.37

-21.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 $0.98

$3.23 MX$56.6

-69.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$4.74 MX$83.1

-63.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.65 MX$28.89

92.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.75 MX$48.30

-46.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.87 MX$32.87

56.68%

Eggs

$3.08 $3.08

$2.50 MX$43.86

23.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$10.20 MX$179

-52.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$8.25 MX$145

-29.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 $10.06

$11.82 MX$207

-14.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.01 MX$52.8

0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.81 MX$31.77

12.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.00 MX$35.07

-1.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.00 MX$35.00

-1.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.08 MX$36.56

-3.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.27 MX$39.85

-14.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.46 MX$25.55

-36.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.08 MX$18.88

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 $3.97

$4.35 MX$76.3

-8.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.05 $12.05

$16.99 MX$298

-29.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.73 MX$30.40

-40.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.58 MX$62.7

-44.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.39 MX$6.79

56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.47 $34.47

$18.69 MX$328

84.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.07 $7.07

$1.33 MX$23.25

431.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.28 MX$4.91

678.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 $4.85

$5.25 MX$92.1

-7.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 $0.62

$1.34 MX$23.44

-53.73%

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

$20.5K $20.5K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

5.37%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

9.47%

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

$35.32 $35.32

$40.69 MX$714

-13.20%

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

$10.05 $10.05

$26.87 MX$471

-62.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.50 $39.50

$30.51 MX$535

29.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.74 $40.74

$52.8 MX$926

-22.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.20 $10.20

$26.65 MX$467

-61.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 $5.01

$6.51 MX$114

-23.04%

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

$103 $103

$428 MX$7,508

-75.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,886 $1,886

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-82.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.93 $19.93

$57.3 MX$1,004

-65.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.43 $30.43

$45.50 MX$798

-33.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 $75.1

$104 MX$1,825

-27.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.0 $60.0

$108 MX$1,891

-44.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 $661

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-34.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 $1,016

$623 MX$10.9K

63.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$600 $600

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-71.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 $619

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-49.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,684 $1,684

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-56.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$946 $946

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-53.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,006 $1,006

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-3.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-47.09%

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

Last update for Ilopango: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Ilopango and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Ilopango vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $292 per month, with Ilopango 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

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

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $661 in Ilopango versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $103 in Ilopango versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ilopango pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,628 in Ilopango, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Ilopango. 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 Ilopango, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Ilopango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.