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: $1,192 in Manzanillo versus $1,656 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,515 in Manzanillo versus $2,619 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,837 in Manzanillo versus $3,581 in Mexico City.

Living in Manzanillo costs roughly 28% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manzanillo is 12% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 MX$198

$11.92 MX$206

-3.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.06 MX$605

$52.4 MX$903

-33.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 MX$197

$10.58 MX$183

8.13%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$62.4

$3.90 MX$67.2

-7.18%

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

$1.35 MX$23.35

$1.69 MX$29.10

-20.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$21.70

$1.32 MX$22.84

-4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MX$45.22

$3.29 MX$56.7

-20.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 MX$97.3

$5.63 MX$97.2

0.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.48

$1.78 MX$30.73

-20.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 MX$46.61

$3.11 MX$53.7

-13.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MX$24.95

$2.06 MX$35.52

-29.61%

Eggs

$2.13 MX$36.75

$3.02 MX$52.1

-29.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 MX$123

$12.73 MX$220

-43.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 MX$102

$9.86 MX$170

-40.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 MX$177

$15.60 MX$269

-34.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 MX$45.50

$3.41 MX$58.8

-22.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.07

$2.01 MX$34.71

-21.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.66

$2.09 MX$36.03

-23.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 MX$30.31

$2.38 MX$40.99

-26.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 MX$46.21

$2.11 MX$36.43

27.01%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 MX$52.9

$1.86 MX$32.10

65.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 MX$39.08

$1.55 MX$26.73

45.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 MX$25.01

$1.33 MX$22.97

9.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 MX$103

$5.35 MX$92.2

11.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 MX$122

$17.21 MX$297

-58.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 MX$41.26

$2.02 MX$34.84

18.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 MX$47.61

$4.73 MX$81.6

-41.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 MX$13.91

$0.37 MX$6.34

118.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.51 MX$354

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 MX$44.31

$1.99 MX$34.39

29.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 MX$46.23

$0.55 MX$9.56

387.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.72 MX$202

$5.64 MX$97.4

107.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$26.94

$1.53 MX$26.43

1.96%

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

$22.5K MX$388.0K

$22.7K MX$392.1K

-1.04%

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

$25.0K MX$431.7K

$26.2K MX$452.2K

-4.53%

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

$70.4 MX$1,215

$65.7 MX$1,133

7.25%

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

$22.90 MX$395

$30.37 MX$524

-24.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.90 MX$464

$35.54 MX$613

-24.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 MX$1,183

$57.0 MX$983

20.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.66 MX$598

$26.18 MX$452

32.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MX$74.0

$6.75 MX$117

-36.44%

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

$201 MX$3,476

$449 MX$7,744

-55.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$230.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.02 MX$811

$73.5 MX$1,267

-35.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.58 MX$528

$53.9 MX$930

-43.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 MX$1,442

$111 MX$1,916

-24.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 MX$2,447

$122 MX$2,105

16.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 MX$12.1K

$1,090 MX$18.8K

-35.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 MX$6,959

$701 MX$12.1K

-42.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 MX$42.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,904 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,117 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 MX$7,060

$1,081 MX$18.6K

-62.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.35

-0.44%

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

Last update for Manzanillo: August 3, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $701 in Manzanillo and $1,090 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 164% 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: $35.00 in Manzanillo vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $339 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 39% in total monthly costs ($1,192 vs $1,656 including rent). Manzanillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 164% 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: $701 in Manzanillo versus $1,090 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,192 per month in Manzanillo versus $1,656 in Mexico City – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,192 in Manzanillo versus $1,656 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 39% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.