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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,466 per month in Marathon vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,508 per month in Marathon vs $2,342 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,549 per month in Marathon vs $3,199 in Mexico City, rent included.

Marathon costs about 66% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Marathon and Mexico City sit above the global median – Marathon by 83%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.75 CA$25.68

$13.29 MX$231

41.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 CA$81.9

$53.8 MX$933

11.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.60 CA$17.26

$9.29 MX$161

35.63%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.05

$3.61 MX$62.6

1.94%

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

$1.79 CA$2.46

$1.56 MX$27.03

14.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.02

$1.12 MX$19.46

32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.21 CA$7.13

$3.13 MX$54.3

66.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 CA$6.92

$4.71 MX$81.7

7.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 CA$3.36

$1.70 MX$29.54

44.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 CA$3.46

$2.77 MX$48.03

-8.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$1.96 MX$34.05

33.16%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.03

$2.60 MX$45.21

13.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 CA$12.04

$9.94 MX$173

-11.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.88 CA$23.12

$8.10 MX$141

108.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 CA$21.95

$11.50 MX$200

39.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CA$4.93

$2.87 MX$49.84

25.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CA$1.49

$1.73 MX$30.07

-36.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.57

$2.00 MX$34.73

67.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.33

$2.04 MX$35.38

54.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.69

$2.08 MX$36.14

29.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 CA$1.35

$2.20 MX$38.12

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 CA$3.99

$1.45 MX$25.24

101.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 CA$1.48

$1.07 MX$18.63

0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.29 CA$12.73

$4.27 MX$74.2

117.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.17 CA$18.05

$14.32 MX$249

-8.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.17

$1.76 MX$30.62

-10.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$3.70 MX$64.2

-25.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$0.35 MX$6.12

568.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 CA$84.4

$19.19 MX$333

221.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.47

$1.34 MX$23.18

143.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.05

$0.28 MX$4.83

432.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.99 CA$35.61

$5.33 MX$92.6

387.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.54

$1.34 MX$23.27

-16.42%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$19.1K MX$332.0K

31.43%

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

$20.2K CA$27.7K

$23.9K MX$414.5K

-15.37%

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

$206 CA$282

$39.86 MX$692

415.93%

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

$44.11 CA$60.4

$26.78 MX$465

64.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 CA$111

$29.36 MX$510

175.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.06 CA$57.6

$53.4 MX$927

-21.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.09 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$10.73 CA$14.70

$6.40 MX$111

67.66%

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

$737 CA$1,009

$440 MX$7,647

67.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.3K

$10.8K MX$186.6K

10.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 CA$81.7

$57.6 MX$1,000

3.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.03 CA$50.7

$45.02 MX$781

-17.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 CA$106

$104 MX$1,801

-25.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 CA$191

$108 MX$1,874

28.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 CA$1,799

$1,013 MX$17.6K

29.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 CA$1,603

$630 MX$10.9K

85.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 CA$2,748

$2,162 MX$37.5K

-7.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 CA$2,500

$1,222 MX$21.2K

49.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,406 CA$6,036

$3,793 MX$65.8K

16.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,723 CA$5,100

$2,332 MX$40.5K

59.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,842 CA$2,523

$1,075 MX$18.7K

71.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

11.34

-45.41%

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

Last update for Marathon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,313 in Marathon versus $1,013 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 71% higher in Marathon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Marathon versus $54 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $285 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Marathon is pricier by about 66%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,700 per month in Marathon and $2,226 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $737 per month in Marathon and $440 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Marathon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Marathon at $2,466. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marathon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marathon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.