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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,524 in Male versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,378 in Male versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,232 in Male versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Male is roughly 4% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Male 14% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 MVR 85.0

$13.18 MX$228

-58.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.17 MVR 450

$53.9 MX$932

-45.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 MVR 152

$9.42 MX$163

4.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 MVR 68.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MVR 56.0

Cappuccino

$2.86 MVR 44.15

$3.55 MX$61.4

-19.44%

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

$1.28 MVR 19.76

$1.62 MX$27.98

-20.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MVR 3.83

$1.11 MX$19.27

-77.48%

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)

$1.79 MVR 27.55

$1.70 MX$29.43

5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 MVR 23.96

$2.72 MX$47.02

-43.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 MVR 20.89

$1.91 MX$33.07

-29.32%

Eggs

$1.80 MVR 27.76

$2.54 MX$43.86

-29.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 MVR 128

$10.03 MX$174

-17.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 MVR 97.1

$8.09 MX$140

-22.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.12 MVR 141

$11.62 MX$201

-21.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 MVR 63.8

$2.97 MX$51.3

39.39%

Banana (1kg)

$3.78 MVR 58.3

$1.81 MX$31.24

108.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 MVR 66.8

$2.01 MX$34.82

115.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 MVR 49.24

$2.03 MX$35.20

57.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 MVR 22.98

$2.12 MX$36.75

-29.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 MVR 18.91

$2.27 MX$39.25

-45.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 MVR 47.22

$1.40 MX$24.22

118.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MVR 7.83

$1.13 MX$19.55

-54.87%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.30 MVR 190

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MVR 41.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.51 MVR 162

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.33 MVR 128

$4.27 MX$73.9

95.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

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)

$0.66 MVR 10.18

$0.38 MX$6.62

73.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.81 MVR 444

$19.18 MX$332

50.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 MVR 29.87

$1.38 MX$23.79

40.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 MVR 29.43

$0.28 MX$4.78

582.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.96 MVR 154

$5.45 MX$94.2

82.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 MVR 14.17

$1.30 MX$22.55

-29.23%

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

$32.2K MVR 497.2K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

72.56%

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

$34.6K MVR 534.0K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

49.73%

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

$105 MVR 1,613

$40.86 MX$707

155.95%

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

$41.62 MVR 642

$26.81 MX$464

55.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 MVR 1,182

$29.96 MX$518

155.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 MVR 1,242

$52.0 MX$900

54.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.50 MVR 671

$26.84 MX$464

62.07%

Cinema Ticket

$9.81 MVR 151

$6.30 MX$109

55.71%

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

$163 MVR 2,521

$436 MX$7,544

-62.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,626 MVR 55.9K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-65.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.36 MVR 700

$56.7 MX$980

-19.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 MVR 860

$44.38 MX$768

25.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 MVR 1,383

$103 MX$1,780

-12.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.4 MVR 839

$106 MX$1,825

-48.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 MVR 15.0K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-5.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 MVR 10.8K

$631 MX$10.9K

10.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 MVR 26.2K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-20.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 MVR 22.0K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

14.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,300 MVR 35.5K

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-41.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,905 MVR 29.4K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-7.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$857 MVR 13.2K

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-23.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

11.34

9.35%

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

Last update for Male: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $970 in Male and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Male vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $288 per month, with Male 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

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

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 30% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $970 in Male versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,524 per month in Male versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 50% less than in Male. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,524 in Male, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Male. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Male 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.