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: $1,296 in Luquillo versus $1,682 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,074 in Luquillo versus $2,599 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,852 in Luquillo versus $3,516 in Mexico City.

Living in Luquillo costs roughly 23% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Luquillo is 5% below, Mexico City is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.84 $17.84

$11.83 MX$200

50.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.8 $81.8

$52.2 MX$884

56.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 $8.96

$10.87 MX$184

-17.57%

Cappuccino

$3.47 $3.47

$4.03 MX$68.2

-13.90%

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

$1.59 $1.59

$1.71 MX$28.99

-7.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.34 MX$22.70

-0.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.39 MX$57.5

-10.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$5.74 MX$97.3

-61.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.89 MX$31.99

21.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.17 MX$53.8

1.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.05 MX$34.74

14.15%

Eggs

$6.90 $6.90

$3.01 MX$51.1

129.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$12.61 MX$214

-2.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 $8.53

$9.94 MX$169

-14.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 $13.15

$16.00 MX$271

-17.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$3.28 MX$55.6

57.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.06 MX$34.87

23.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.09 MX$35.36

139.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.50 MX$42.44

90.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.05 MX$34.76

81.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.87 MX$31.70

43.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.57 MX$26.66

-8.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.39 MX$23.64

14.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 $11.94

$5.38 MX$91.2

121.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 $11.84

$17.95 MX$304

-34.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.02 MX$34.31

51.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.76 MX$80.7

-14.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 $59.6

$20.80 MX$353

186.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.06 MX$34.92

19.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.56 MX$9.55

164.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.98 $41.98

$5.82 MX$98.6

621.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.54 MX$26.05

-48.70%

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

$40.6K $40.6K

$22.5K MX$380.6K

80.64%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$26.5K MX$448.7K

5.00%

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

$245 $245

$66.0 MX$1,118

271.46%

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

$76.4 $76.4

$30.98 MX$525

146.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 $71.0

$36.20 MX$613

96.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.34 $37.34

$57.5 MX$975

-35.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 $10.66

$7.13 MX$121

49.51%

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

$871 $871

$457 MX$7,738

90.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K $12.9K

$13.2K MX$224.5K

-2.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 $57.2

$75.8 MX$1,285

-24.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.0 $62.0

$54.1 MX$917

14.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 $82.4

$116 MX$1,974

-29.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$122 MX$2,063

-4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 $803

$1,147 MX$19.4K

-29.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,020 $3,020

$1,069 MX$18.1K

182.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.73

11.35

-58.33%

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

Last update for Luquillo: August 16, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $803 in Luquillo and $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luquillo pays 183% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Luquillo vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $344 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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 183% 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: $803 in Luquillo versus $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,296 per month in Luquillo versus $1,682 in Mexico City – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Luquillo runs roughly 186% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,296 in Luquillo versus $1,682 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 30% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.