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 $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,859 in Ilopango versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,090 in Ilopango versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Ilopango is roughly 11% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ilopango 21% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 $3.14

$13.18 MX$228

-76.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.76 $45.76

$53.9 MX$934

-15.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 $5.11

$9.42 MX$163

-45.75%

Cappuccino

$2.89 $2.89

$3.55 MX$61.5

-18.59%

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

$0.92 $0.92

$1.62 MX$28.03

-43.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.11 MX$19.31

-16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 $0.96

$3.12 MX$54.1

-69.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$4.63 MX$80.2

-62.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.70 MX$29.48

92.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.72 MX$47.10

-46.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.91 MX$33.13

55.50%

Eggs

$2.94 $2.94

$2.54 MX$43.94

15.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$10.03 MX$174

-51.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 $6.18

$8.09 MX$140

-23.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 $9.81

$11.62 MX$201

-15.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.97 MX$51.4

2.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.81 MX$31.30

8.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.01 MX$34.88

-1.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.03 MX$35.26

-2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.12 MX$36.82

-3.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.27 MX$39.32

-13.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.40 MX$24.26

-30.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.13 MX$19.59

-13.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.27 MX$74.0

-8.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 $11.85

$15.56 MX$270

-23.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.76 MX$30.44

-44.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.60 MX$62.3

-45.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 $0.56

$0.38 MX$6.64

47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.43 $35.43

$19.18 MX$332

84.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 $6.86

$1.38 MX$23.84

397.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.28 MX$4.79

703.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 $4.87

$5.45 MX$94.4

-10.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 $0.67

$1.30 MX$22.60

-48.46%

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

$20.1K $20.1K

$18.7K MX$323.8K

7.53%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.1K MX$400.8K

9.68%

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

$35.57 $35.57

$40.86 MX$708

-12.95%

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

$10.10 $10.10

$26.81 MX$465

-62.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.39 $40.39

$29.96 MX$519

34.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.10 $40.10

$52.0 MX$901

-22.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.04 $10.04

$26.84 MX$465

-62.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 $4.90

$6.30 MX$109

-22.22%

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

$106 $106

$436 MX$7,558

-75.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,950 $1,950

$10.4K MX$180.5K

-81.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.30 $20.30

$56.7 MX$982

-64.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 $30.27

$44.38 MX$769

-31.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 $73.7

$103 MX$1,784

-28.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 $58.9

$106 MX$1,829

-44.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 $663

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-35.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 $1,010

$631 MX$10.9K

60.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 $593

$2,136 MX$37.0K

-72.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 $621

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-50.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,698 $1,698

$3,903 MX$67.6K

-56.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$963 $963

$2,064 MX$35.8K

-53.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$999 $999

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-10.38%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $663 in Ilopango and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Ilopango vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $288 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 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 12% less. 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: $663 in Ilopango versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $106 in Ilopango versus $436 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 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,467 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 11% less than in Ilopango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.