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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,189 per month in Lija vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,276 per month in Lija vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,364 per month in Lija vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Lija costs about 32% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lija and Mexico City sit above the global median – Lija by 60%, Mexico City by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.12 €20.15

$11.92 MX$205

93.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.2 €81.2

$51.6 MX$886

80.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.12 €12.30

$11.41 MX$196

23.75%

Cappuccino

$3.32 €2.89

$3.99 MX$68.6

-16.79%

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

$2.46 €2.14

$1.66 MX$28.48

48.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.33 MX$22.77

55.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 €4.99

$3.47 MX$59.6

65.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 €5.93

$5.90 MX$101

15.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.24

$1.88 MX$32.21

-24.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 €1.27

$3.25 MX$55.9

-55.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 €3.04

$2.16 MX$37.10

61.57%

Eggs

$4.56 €3.97

$2.90 MX$49.72

57.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 €9.18

$12.86 MX$221

-18.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.23 €10.65

$10.05 MX$173

21.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 €16.34

$15.86 MX$272

18.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 €3.36

$3.29 MX$56.6

17.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 €2.50

$2.01 MX$34.44

42.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 €3.43

$2.20 MX$37.76

79.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 €3.28

$2.36 MX$40.44

59.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 €1.69

$2.05 MX$35.27

-5.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.55 €3.10

$1.90 MX$32.64

86.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.61 MX$27.55

41.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.40 MX$23.98

11.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 €5.61

$5.46 MX$93.8

17.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 €5.43

$17.65 MX$303

-64.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 €2.25

$2.06 MX$35.28

25.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 €2.12

$4.68 MX$80.4

-47.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.17

$0.34 MX$5.81

632.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 €3.50

$2.10 MX$35.99

91.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 €1.60

$0.56 MX$9.60

226.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.30 €29.88

$5.81 MX$99.8

490.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.61 MX$27.56

-6.21%

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

$29.4K €25.6K

$22.8K MX$392.1K

28.56%

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

$39.5K €34.5K

$26.8K MX$459.2K

47.82%

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

$159 €139

$65.2 MX$1,119

144.23%

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

$32.12 €27.98

$30.09 MX$517

6.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.92 €26.94

$37.18 MX$638

-16.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 €49.26

$59.8 MX$1,026

-5.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$11.82 €10.30

$7.04 MX$121

67.90%

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

$286 €249

$465 MX$7,976

-38.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K €11.0K

$13.3K MX$227.8K

-4.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 €65.5

$75.9 MX$1,303

-0.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 €56.0

$56.0 MX$960

14.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €103

$112 MX$1,920

5.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €119

$121 MX$2,068

12.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 €1,068

$1,103 MX$18.9K

11.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 €904

$721 MX$12.4K

43.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,729

$2,530 MX$43.4K

-21.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 €1,331

$1,293 MX$22.2K

18.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,526 €3,943

$3,991 MX$68.5K

13.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,876 €2,506

$2,090 MX$35.9K

37.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.05

11.3

-64.16%

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

Last update for Lija: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,226 in Lija versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Lija versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $345 – making Mexico City 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,189 in Lija, $1,660 in Mexico City – roughly 32% apart. Lija costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,283 per month in Lija and $2,489 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,189 in Lija and $1,660 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $286 per month in Lija and $465 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,660, than in Lija at $2,189. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lija it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,660 in Mexico City to $2,189 in Lija. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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