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 $2,305 per month in Marathon vs $1,682 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,316 per month in Marathon vs $2,599 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,327 per month in Marathon vs $3,516 in Mexico City, rent included.

Marathon costs about 37% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Marathon and Mexico City sit above the global median – Marathon by 68%, Mexico City by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.72 CA$23.04

$11.83 MX$200

41.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 CA$87.5

$52.2 MX$884

21.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.22 CA$14.09

$10.87 MX$184

-5.98%

Cappuccino

$3.31 CA$4.56

$4.03 MX$68.2

-17.87%

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

$1.81 CA$2.49

$1.71 MX$28.99

5.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.42

$1.34 MX$22.70

31.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.71 CA$7.87

$3.39 MX$57.5

68.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 CA$8.45

$5.74 MX$97.3

6.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.83

$1.89 MX$31.99

8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.59

$3.17 MX$53.8

-17.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.69

$2.05 MX$34.74

65.85%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.75

$3.01 MX$51.1

14.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 CA$13.78

$12.61 MX$214

-20.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.43 CA$15.75

$9.94 MX$169

14.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.64 CA$20.16

$16.00 MX$271

-8.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.37

$3.28 MX$55.6

18.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.85

$2.06 MX$34.87

-34.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.10

$2.09 MX$35.36

77.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.43

$2.50 MX$42.44

57.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.42

$2.05 MX$34.76

20.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 CA$2.99

$1.87 MX$31.70

16.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 CA$3.37

$1.57 MX$26.66

55.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CA$2.20

$1.39 MX$23.64

15.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.57 CA$20.07

$5.38 MX$91.2

170.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.88 CA$17.74

$17.95 MX$304

-28.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 CA$3.76

$2.02 MX$34.31

35.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CA$4.49

$4.76 MX$80.7

-31.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.49

$0.36 MX$6.13

602.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.7 CA$93.3

$20.80 MX$353

225.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 CA$4.03

$2.06 MX$34.92

41.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 CA$1.77

$0.56 MX$9.55

128.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.91 CA$30.19

$5.82 MX$98.6

276.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 CA$1.38

$1.54 MX$26.05

-35.06%

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

$29.6K CA$40.8K

$22.5K MX$380.6K

31.75%

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

$16.9K CA$23.3K

$26.5K MX$448.7K

-36.14%

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

$141 CA$194

$66.0 MX$1,118

113.26%

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

$40.36 CA$55.6

$30.98 MX$525

30.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 CA$77.6

$36.20 MX$613

55.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.29 CA$50.0

$57.5 MX$975

-36.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.65 CA$22.93

$26.75 MX$453

-37.76%

Cinema Ticket

$11.34 CA$15.62

$7.13 MX$121

59.05%

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

$807 CA$1,112

$457 MX$7,738

76.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K CA$18.3K

$13.2K MX$224.5K

0.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 CA$73.9

$75.8 MX$1,285

-29.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.36 CA$54.2

$54.1 MX$917

-27.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$121

$116 MX$1,974

-24.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$145

$122 MX$2,063

-13.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 CA$1,807

$1,147 MX$19.4K

14.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 CA$1,592

$726 MX$12.3K

59.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 CA$2,785

$2,503 MX$42.4K

-19.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,772 CA$2,441

$1,331 MX$22.6K

33.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,359 CA$6,006

$3,895 MX$66.0K

11.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,194 CA$4,401

$2,149 MX$36.4K

48.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,803 CA$2,484

$1,069 MX$18.1K

68.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

11.35

-58.77%

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

Last update for Marathon: August 18, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,312 in Marathon versus $1,147 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 69% 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 $64.0 in Marathon versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $344 – 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 37%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,458 per month in Marathon and $2,523 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 $807 per month in Marathon and $457 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,682, than in Marathon at $2,305. 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.