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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $929 in Manta versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,558 in Manta versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,187 in Manta versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Manta costs roughly 36% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manta is 31% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 $3.49

$12.98 MX$223

-73.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.11 $45.11

$52.6 MX$903

-14.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 $7.09

$9.43 MX$162

-24.81%

Cappuccino

$2.37 $2.37

$3.57 MX$61.3

-33.61%

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

$0.85 $0.85

$1.61 MX$27.55

-47.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 $0.61

$1.15 MX$19.81

-46.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.15 MX$54.0

-43.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$4.86 MX$83.4

-37.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.70 MX$29.17

-33.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.64 MX$45.23

-33.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.90 MX$32.67

-13.16%

Eggs

$2.49 $2.49

$2.54 MX$43.62

-1.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$10.08 MX$173

-42.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$8.29 MX$142

-38.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$11.57 MX$199

-45.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.03 MX$52.0

-33.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.71 MX$29.35

-38.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.05 MX$35.16

-49.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.06 MX$35.36

-47.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.06 MX$35.43

-52.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.17 MX$37.25

-35.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.40 MX$24.08

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.12 MX$19.26

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 $6.04

$4.29 MX$73.7

40.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.19 $7.19

$15.41 MX$265

-53.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.67 MX$28.74

-11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.69 MX$63.3

-44.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.38 MX$6.55

-13.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.95 $23.95

$19.06 MX$327

25.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.38 MX$23.70

29.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.28 MX$4.74

600.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.92 $9.92

$5.42 MX$92.9

83.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 $0.67

$1.28 MX$21.98

-47.66%

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

$20.0K $20.0K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

5.25%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

4.22%

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

$37.58 $37.58

$41.02 MX$704

-8.39%

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

$11.94 $11.94

$26.92 MX$462

-55.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.86 $31.86

$29.69 MX$510

7.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.77 $39.77

$52.3 MX$898

-24.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.71 $14.71

$26.23 MX$450

-43.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 $6.94

$6.18 MX$106

12.30%

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

$240 $240

$427 MX$7,331

-43.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,904 $5,904

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-44.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$56.8 MX$975

-10.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.70 $43.70

$44.83 MX$769

-2.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$105 MX$1,794

-2.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.1 $90.1

$106 MX$1,819

-14.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 $471

$995 MX$17.1K

-52.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 $335

$621 MX$10.7K

-46.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 $473

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-77.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 $768

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-38.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$476 $476

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-57.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.35

11.34

-17.55%

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

Last update for Manta: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Manta and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 133% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Manta vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $288 per month, with Manta 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

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

Manta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 133% 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: $471 in Manta versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $240 in Manta versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $929 in Manta versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manta but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Manta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Manta 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.

Expats usually find Manta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.