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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,315 in Manzanillo versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Manzanillo versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,353 in Manzanillo versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Manzanillo costs roughly 21% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manzanillo is 4% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.56 MX$199

$11.92 MX$205

-3.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.59 MX$613

$51.6 MX$889

-31.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 MX$202

$11.41 MX$197

2.63%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$62.3

$3.99 MX$68.8

-9.27%

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

$1.35 MX$23.18

$1.66 MX$28.57

-18.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$22.76

$1.33 MX$22.84

-0.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 MX$44.49

$3.47 MX$59.8

-25.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$81.1

$5.90 MX$102

-20.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MX$25.57

$1.88 MX$32.31

-21.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 MX$48.83

$3.25 MX$56.0

-12.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MX$26.40

$2.16 MX$37.21

-29.17%

Eggs

$2.27 MX$39.05

$2.90 MX$49.87

-21.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 MX$121

$12.86 MX$221

-45.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 MX$101

$10.05 MX$173

-41.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 MX$196

$15.86 MX$273

-28.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$51.7

$3.29 MX$56.7

-8.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.05

$2.01 MX$34.55

-18.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 MX$27.83

$2.20 MX$37.88

-26.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.03

$2.36 MX$40.57

-30.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.65

$2.05 MX$35.38

32.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.11

$1.90 MX$32.75

-2.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 MX$39.48

$1.61 MX$27.64

42.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 MX$24.35

$1.40 MX$24.05

0.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 MX$107

$5.46 MX$94.1

13.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 MX$199

$17.65 MX$304

-34.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 MX$42.47

$2.06 MX$35.39

19.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MX$45.86

$4.68 MX$80.7

-43.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 MX$14.07

$0.34 MX$5.83

141.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 MX$45.95

$2.10 MX$36.11

27.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 MX$46.95

$0.56 MX$9.63

387.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.82 MX$204

$5.81 MX$100

103.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$26.28

$1.61 MX$27.65

-4.97%

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

$22.2K MX$382.1K

$22.8K MX$393.3K

-2.84%

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

$25.9K MX$446.8K

$26.8K MX$460.6K

-3.00%

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

$69.6 MX$1,198

$65.2 MX$1,122

6.74%

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

$21.67 MX$373

$30.09 MX$518

-27.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 MX$590

$37.18 MX$640

-7.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 MX$1,192

$59.8 MX$1,029

15.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.61 MX$613

$26.55 MX$457

34.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MX$79.9

$7.04 MX$121

-34.09%

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

$208 MX$3,580

$465 MX$8,001

-55.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.15 MX$795

$75.9 MX$1,307

-39.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.86 MX$531

$56.0 MX$963

-44.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 MX$1,434

$112 MX$1,926

-25.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 MX$2,470

$121 MX$2,075

19.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.2K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-35.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 MX$8,370

$721 MX$12.4K

-32.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,664 MX$28.6K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-34.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 MX$25.0K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

12.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$396 MX$6,818

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-61.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Manzanillo: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $709 in Manzanillo and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 162% 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: $36.00 in Manzanillo vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $345 per month, with Manzanillo 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

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

Manzanillo and Mexico City differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,315 vs $1,660 including rent). Manzanillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 162% lower in Mexico City. 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: $709 in Manzanillo versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,315 per month in Manzanillo versus $1,660 in Mexico City – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,315 in Manzanillo versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manzanillo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Manzanillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Manzanillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.