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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,499 per month in Matera vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,409 per month in Matera vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,318 per month in Matera vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Matera is about 10% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Matera and Mexico City sit above the global median – Matera by 10%, Mexico City by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.66 €13.65

$11.92 MX$206

31.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$51.6 MX$890

21.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 €10.01

$11.41 MX$197

0.61%

Cappuccino

$1.87 €1.63

$3.99 MX$68.9

-53.13%

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

$2.26 €1.97

$1.66 MX$28.61

36.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.33 MX$22.87

-15.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 €5.10

$3.47 MX$59.9

68.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.10

$5.90 MX$102

-39.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.37

$1.88 MX$32.36

-16.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.25 MX$56.1

-45.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$2.16 MX$37.26

50.46%

Eggs

$3.81 €3.32

$2.90 MX$49.94

31.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 €14.09

$12.86 MX$222

25.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.87 €11.22

$10.05 MX$173

28.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.46 €18.70

$15.86 MX$273

35.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 €2.19

$3.29 MX$56.8

-23.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.80

$2.01 MX$34.60

2.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$2.20 MX$37.93

-46.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 €3.36

$2.36 MX$40.63

63.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 €1.57

$2.05 MX$35.43

-11.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.90 MX$32.79

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.61 MX$27.68

-12.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 €0.42

$1.40 MX$24.09

-65.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$5.46 MX$94.2

30.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 €5.64

$17.65 MX$304

-63.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.67

$2.06 MX$35.44

-7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.70

$4.68 MX$80.8

-33.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.47

$0.34 MX$5.84

397.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.76 €18.10

$20.81 MX$359

-0.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 €4.05

$2.10 MX$36.15

121.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 €1.14

$0.56 MX$9.64

133.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.12 €21.02

$5.81 MX$100

315.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.81

$1.61 MX$27.68

29.19%

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

$38.2K €33.3K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

67.27%

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

$36.2K €31.6K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

35.44%

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

$211 €184

$65.2 MX$1,124

223.00%

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

$9.63 €8.40

$30.09 MX$519

-68.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.43 €28.27

$37.18 MX$641

-12.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.5

$59.8 MX$1,030

-3.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.15 €21.93

$26.55 MX$458

-5.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 €10.04

$7.04 MX$121

63.64%

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

$468 €408

$465 MX$8,012

0.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,263 €7,203

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-37.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 €60.9

$75.9 MX$1,308

-7.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 €38.69

$56.0 MX$965

-20.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €96.2

$112 MX$1,929

-1.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €113

$121 MX$2,078

7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 €645

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-32.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 €379

$721 MX$12.4K

-39.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,068 €931

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-57.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 €758

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-32.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,804 €2,444

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-29.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,247 €2,830

$2,090 MX$36.0K

55.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 €1,556

$1,037 MX$17.9K

72.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

11.3

-72.65%

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

Last update for Matera: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $740 in Matera versus $1,103 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 72% higher in Matera, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Matera versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $337 in Matera vs $345 in Mexico City – so Matera wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Mexico City costs about 11% more than Matera, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,249 per month in Matera and $2,489 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 0% less in Matera. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $468 per month in Matera and $465 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Matera, where all-in costs run around $1,499, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Matera it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Matera costs $1,499 versus $1,660 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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