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 $2,033 per month in Lija vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,009 per month in Lija vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,985 per month in Lija vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Lija costs about 37% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lija and Mexico City sit above the global median – Lija by 52%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.13 €17.23

$12.98 MX$227

55.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 €59.6

$53.1 MX$929

31.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 €10.07

$9.72 MX$170

20.99%

Cappuccino

$2.73 €2.34

$3.75 MX$65.6

-27.20%

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

$2.61 €2.24

$1.57 MX$27.46

66.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.13 MX$19.76

75.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.84 €4.14

$3.18 MX$55.7

52.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 €4.15

$4.66 MX$81.6

4.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.62 MX$28.37

-17.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 €1.29

$2.71 MX$47.36

-44.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.88 MX$32.89

85.64%

Eggs

$3.64 €3.11

$2.51 MX$43.90

45.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 €8.18

$10.08 MX$176

-5.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 €9.19

$8.29 MX$145

29.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 €11.75

$11.94 MX$209

14.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 €2.88

$2.86 MX$50.1

17.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.75 MX$30.62

18.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 €2.38

$2.08 MX$36.48

33.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.30 €2.82

$1.97 MX$34.46

67.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.59

$2.16 MX$37.79

-13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 €2.46

$2.18 MX$38.16

31.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.39 MX$24.34

39.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.11

$1.12 MX$19.69

16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 €5.57

$4.20 MX$73.5

55.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 €5.31

$14.25 MX$249

-56.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.76 MX$30.85

28.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.53

$3.68 MX$64.5

-51.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 €2.29

$0.39 MX$6.74

587.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.33 €7.13

$1.39 MX$24.26

499.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 €1.67

$0.30 MX$5.32

550.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 €30.21

$5.42 MX$94.9

551.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 €1.34

$1.35 MX$23.63

15.56%

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

$26.4K €22.6K

$18.9K MX$330.5K

39.60%

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

$41.7K €35.7K

$23.2K MX$405.2K

80.06%

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

$166 €142

$40.82 MX$714

307.10%

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

$30.30 €25.94

$27.50 MX$481

10.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.62 €27.92

$30.38 MX$532

7.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 €53.9

$53.4 MX$935

17.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.31 €19.95

$26.30 MX$460

-11.37%

Cinema Ticket

$15.11 €12.93

$6.27 MX$110

140.99%

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

$265 €227

$436 MX$7,632

-39.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K €10.8K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

20.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €86.5

$56.8 MX$993

78.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.20 €33.56

$44.79 MX$784

-12.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 €126

$103 MX$1,799

43.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €87.7

$108 MX$1,888

-5.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 €960

$1,000 MX$17.5K

12.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 €818

$620 MX$10.9K

53.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,953 €1,672

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-8.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 €1,299

$1,235 MX$21.6K

22.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,217 €3,609

$3,865 MX$67.6K

9.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,912 €2,492

$2,332 MX$40.8K

24.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

11.34

-52.12%

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

Last update for Lija: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,122 in Lija versus $1,000 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 $70.0 in Lija versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $286 – 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: $2,033 in Lija, $1,484 in Mexico City – roughly 37% apart. Lija costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,050 per month in Lija and $2,225 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 $2,033 in Lija and $1,484 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $265 per month in Lija and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Lija at $2,033. 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 $1,484 in Mexico City to $2,033 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.