Cost of Living Comparison Between Les Escaldes and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Les Escaldes and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,418 in Les Escaldes versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,303 in Les Escaldes versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,188 in Les Escaldes versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Les Escaldes costs roughly 3% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Les Escaldes 6% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.91 €12.83

$13.18 MX$228

13.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.88 €28.28

$53.9 MX$932

-39.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 €6.03

$9.42 MX$163

-25.58%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

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

$1.71 €1.47

$1.62 MX$27.98

5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.11 MX$19.27

6.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.91 MX$33.07

-16.75%

Eggs

$1.71 €1.47

$2.54 MX$43.86

-32.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 €6.94

$10.03 MX$174

-19.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.13 MX$19.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 €5.95

$15.56 MX$269

-55.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.8 €45.45

$19.18 MX$332

175.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.38 MX$23.79

65.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$39.95 €34.36

$40.86 MX$707

-2.23%

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

$26.81 MX$464

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 €44.93

$29.96 MX$518

74.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.3 €78.5

$52.0 MX$900

75.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.71 €10.08

$26.84 MX$464

-56.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 €7.87

$6.30 MX$109

45.24%

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.7

$56.7 MX$980

84.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 €48.81

$44.38 MX$768

27.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 €68.8

$103 MX$1,780

-22.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.4 €79.5

$106 MX$1,825

-12.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$923 €794

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-9.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 €683

$631 MX$10.9K

25.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,221 €1,911

$2,136 MX$36.9K

4.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,726 €1,485

$1,243 MX$21.5K

38.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.8K €10.2K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

472.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,809 €2,417

$1,115 MX$19.3K

151.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Les Escaldes: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $923 in Les Escaldes and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Les Escaldes pays 152% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Les Escaldes vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $65.0 vs $288 per month, with Les Escaldes 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

Les Escaldes vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Les Escaldes and Mexico City differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,418 vs $1,467 including rent). Les Escaldes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Les Escaldes pays 152% more on average, 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: $923 in Les Escaldes versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 345% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,418 per month in Les Escaldes versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,418 in Les Escaldes versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Les Escaldes but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Les Escaldes 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, Les Escaldes 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 Les Escaldes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.