Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manaus and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Manaus: $931 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Manaus, Brazil
Mexico City, Mexico
Manaus
🇧🇷 Brazil
$931
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manaus and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manaus and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $931 in Manaus versus $1,608 in Mexico City.

  • Manaus $931
  • Mexico City $1,608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Manaus versus $2,549 in Mexico City.

  • Manaus $1,368
  • Mexico City $2,549

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,806 in Manaus versus $3,490 in Mexico City.

  • Manaus $1,806
  • Mexico City $3,490

Living in Manaus costs roughly 42% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manaus is 32% below, Mexico City is 18% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Manaus
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.74 R$30.91
$10.62 MX$200
-45.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.62 R$138
$48.35 MX$909
-47.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.47 R$34.83
$10.35 MX$194
-37.49%
Cappuccino
$2.19 R$11.81
$3.69 MX$69.4
-40.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 R$5.33
$1.67 MX$31.32
-40.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 R$3.94
$1.27 MX$23.78
-42.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.54 R$13.69
$3.19 MX$60.0
-20.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.05 R$27.16
$5.31 MX$99.7
-4.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Manaus
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 R$7.09
$1.72 MX$32.41
-23.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 R$8.29
$3.04 MX$57.1
-49.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.14 R$6.11
$1.94 MX$36.48
-41.24%
Eggs
$2.46 R$13.25
$2.89 MX$54.3
-14.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.14 R$49.19
$10.97 MX$206
-16.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.82 R$20.53
$9.25 MX$174
-58.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.70 R$36.04
$15.13 MX$284
-55.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 R$12.02
$3.05 MX$57.3
-26.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 R$8.27
$1.94 MX$36.48
-20.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 R$7.42
$2.03 MX$38.06
-32.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.84 R$9.89
$2.31 MX$43.50
-20.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.12 R$6.05
$2.04 MX$38.25
-45.10%
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 R$6.19
$1.80 MX$33.83
-36.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.75 R$4.06
$1.48 MX$27.80
-49.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 R$3.36
$1.27 MX$23.82
-51.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.36 R$18.06
$5.30 MX$99.7
-36.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.46 R$45.54
$16.10 MX$303
-47.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 R$7.61
$1.98 MX$37.27
-28.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56 R$8.40
$4.25 MX$79.9
-63.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Manaus
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 R$4.76
$0.31 MX$5.73
183.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.80 R$198
$19.73 MX$371
86.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.92 R$4.94
$1.84 MX$34.53
-50.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.87 R$4.66
$0.53 MX$10.03
64.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.99 R$48.39
$5.30 MX$99.5
69.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 R$6.63
$1.51 MX$28.39
-18.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K R$116.4K
$21.8K MX$408.8K
-0.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4K R$174.3K
$24.0K MX$450.8K
35.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manaus
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$112 R$601
$63.0 MX$1,184
77.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.44 R$77.7
$27.39 MX$515
-47.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.86 R$128
$35.67 MX$670
-33.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Manaus
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.68 R$138
$58.9 MX$1,108
-56.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.54 R$127
$23.64 MX$444
-0.42%
Cinema Ticket
$6.41 R$34.47
$6.40 MX$120
0.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Manaus
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$212 R$1,140
$432 MX$8,111
-50.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,775 R$25.7K
$11.4K MX$214.7K
-58.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Manaus
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.41 R$255
$68.2 MX$1,282
-30.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.69 R$160
$53.1 MX$999
-44.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$56.3 R$303
$108 MX$2,026
-47.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$63.9 R$344
$117 MX$2,204
-45.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Manaus
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$747 R$4,021
$1,113 MX$20.9K
-32.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$299 R$1,607
$710 MX$13.4K
-57.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,121 R$6,035
$2,588 MX$48.6K
-56.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 R$2,428
$1,406 MX$26.4K
-67.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,543 R$8,302
$3,631 MX$68.2K
-57.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,257 R$6,767
$2,135 MX$40.1K
-41.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Manaus
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$491 R$2,641
$946 MX$17.8K
-48.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.33
11.35
-8.99%

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

Last update for Manaus: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Manaus
$299
Mexico City
$710 138% $412
Groceries & Markets
Manaus
$188
Mexico City
$320 70% $132
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manaus
$150
Mexico City
$126 16% $24
Eating Out
Manaus
$121
Mexico City
$199 63.6% $77
Clothing & Footwear
Manaus
$89
Mexico City
$156 75.5% $67
Getting Around
Manaus
$46
Mexico City
$25 44.1% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Manaus
$38
Mexico City
$72 86.4% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $747 in Manaus and $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 93% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $26 in Manaus vs $48 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $320 per month, with Manaus cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Manaus
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
03:04 3:04 AM
01:04 1:04 AM
2 h behind Manaus
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,063,689
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 5.38 BRL (1 BRL = 0.186 USD). 1 EUR = 6.01 BRL (1 BRL = 0.166 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Manaus Mexico City 4,960 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Manaus
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Manaus vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Manaus cheaper than Mexico City?
Manaus is about 42% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Manaus or Mexico City?
On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Manaus. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Manaus and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $747 in Manaus versus $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Manaus and in Mexico City?
Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Manaus or in Mexico City?
Dining out is cheaper in Manaus – a meal for two runs $26 versus $48 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is it better to live in Manaus or in Mexico City?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Manaus wins on affordability, Mexico City on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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