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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,320 in Luquillo versus $1,561 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,086 in Luquillo versus $2,440 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,852 in Luquillo versus $3,319 in Mexico City.

Living in Luquillo costs roughly 15% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Luquillo is 1% below, Mexico City is 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.65 $18.65

$11.12 MX$200

67.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 $85.6

$48.99 MX$880

74.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.92 $8.92

$11.23 MX$202

-20.57%

Cappuccino

$3.75 $3.75

$3.76 MX$67.5

-0.27%

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

$1.64 $1.64

$1.65 MX$29.69

-0.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.28 MX$22.98

13.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.26 MX$58.5

-7.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$5.66 MX$102

-59.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.81 MX$32.52

27.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.94 MX$52.8

8.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.05 MX$36.82

17.07%

Eggs

$7.52 $7.52

$2.93 MX$52.6

156.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.95 MX$215

4.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 $8.57

$9.51 MX$171

-9.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 $13.43

$14.84 MX$267

-9.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.14 MX$56.5

62.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.01 MX$36.20

28.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$2.08 MX$37.29

128.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.22 MX$39.86

104.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.06 MX$37.01

85.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.88 MX$33.73

40.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.48 MX$26.60

-3.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.35 MX$24.17

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.86 $11.86

$5.41 MX$97.2

119.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.07 $12.07

$16.86 MX$303

-28.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.98 MX$35.66

52.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$4.32 MX$77.7

-8.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.7 $59.7

$20.23 MX$363

195.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.10 MX$37.65

21.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.53 MX$9.53

186.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.26 $41.26

$5.41 MX$97.1

662.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.52 MX$27.31

-45.39%

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

$40.2K $40.2K

$21.7K MX$390.5K

84.85%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$24.8K MX$445.9K

12.18%

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

$247 $247

$63.0 MX$1,132

291.52%

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

$68.9 $68.9

$28.88 MX$519

138.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 $69.8

$33.93 MX$610

105.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.51 $37.51

$55.8 MX$1,002

-32.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.90 MX$447

Cinema Ticket

$10.31 $10.31

$6.77 MX$122

52.29%

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

$810 $810

$428 MX$7,687

89.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K $12.4K

$11.9K MX$213.3K

4.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 $55.7

$70.0 MX$1,258

-20.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 $61.3

$53.7 MX$966

14.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 $80.6

$110 MX$1,973

-26.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$115 MX$2,070

-1.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 $798

$1,062 MX$19.1K

-24.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 MX$12.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,379 MX$42.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 MX$22.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,716 MX$66.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MX$35.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,012 $3,012

$997 MX$17.9K

202.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.73

11.3

-58.14%

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

Last update for Luquillo: October 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $798 in Luquillo and $1,062 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luquillo pays 202% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Luquillo vs $49.00 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $327 per month, with Mexico City 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

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

Luquillo is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 202% higher in Luquillo, 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: $798 in Luquillo versus $1,062 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,320 per month in Luquillo versus $1,561 in Mexico City – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Luquillo runs roughly 195% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,320 in Luquillo versus $1,561 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Luquillo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Luquillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Luquillo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Luquillo 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 Luquillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.