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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,261 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,901 per month in Mazatlan vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Mazatlan costs about 11% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mazatlan and Mexico City sit above the global median – Mazatlan by 21%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.42 MX$182

$13.07 MX$229

-20.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.17 MX$790

$53.8 MX$940

-15.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.38 MX$146

$9.68 MX$169

-13.43%

Cappuccino

$3.40 MX$59.5

$3.74 MX$65.4

-9.09%

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

$1.40 MX$24.46

$1.62 MX$28.25

-13.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.83

$1.16 MX$20.31

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 MX$33.72

$3.23 MX$56.4

-40.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 MX$44.96

$4.74 MX$82.9

-45.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$1.65 MX$28.80

-11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 MX$44.12

$2.75 MX$48.15

-8.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.24

$1.87 MX$32.77

10.70%

Eggs

$2.38 MX$41.62

$2.50 MX$43.72

-4.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 MX$136

$10.20 MX$178

-23.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 MX$111

$8.25 MX$144

-23.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 MX$126

$11.82 MX$207

-39.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 MX$46.82

$3.01 MX$52.6

-10.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.40

$1.81 MX$31.67

-13.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.99

$2.00 MX$34.96

-11.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 MX$14.03

$2.00 MX$34.89

-60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.94

$2.08 MX$36.45

9.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 MX$43.76

$2.27 MX$39.72

10.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.93

$1.46 MX$25.47

-14.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MX$18.02

$1.08 MX$18.82

-4.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 MX$69.8

$4.35 MX$76.0

-8.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 MX$282

$16.99 MX$297

-5.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 MX$34.41

$1.73 MX$30.31

13.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 MX$52.0

$3.58 MX$62.5

-16.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MX$11.72

$0.39 MX$6.77

71.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 MX$687

$18.69 MX$327

110.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 MX$61.4

$1.33 MX$23.18

163.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 MX$32.03

$0.28 MX$4.89

553.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 MX$144

$5.25 MX$91.8

57.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.31

$1.34 MX$23.37

-4.48%

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

$21.3K MX$371.9K

$19.4K MX$339.4K

9.57%

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

$22.7K MX$397.7K

$23.8K MX$416.7K

-4.56%

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

$54.8 MX$958

$40.69 MX$712

34.60%

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

$20.81 MX$364

$26.87 MX$470

-22.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.59 MX$710

$30.51 MX$534

33.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.65 MX$728

$52.8 MX$923

-21.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.56 MX$272

$26.65 MX$466

-41.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.90 MX$68.3

$6.51 MX$114

-40.09%

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

$86.3 MX$1,509

$428 MX$7,485

-79.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,925 MX$33.7K

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-81.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 MX$1,094

$57.3 MX$1,001

9.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.17 MX$458

$45.50 MX$796

-42.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MX$1,871

$104 MX$1,819

2.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 MX$1,379

$108 MX$1,885

-26.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 MX$15.5K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-11.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 MX$15.7K

$623 MX$10.9K

44.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 MX$24.4K

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-33.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 MX$19.1K

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-10.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,665 MX$29.1K

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-57.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-47.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 MX$9,818

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-45.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

11.34

-0.09%

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

Last update for Mazatlan: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $888 in Mazatlan versus $1,003 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 85% higher in Mexico City, 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 $45.00 in Mazatlan versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $292 – making Mazatlan 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,621 in Mazatlan, $1,456 in Mexico City – roughly 11% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Mazatlan and $2,185 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.

Public transport costs about 110% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $86.3 per month in Mazatlan and $428 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,456, than in Mazatlan at $1,621. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mazatlan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mazatlan has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,456 in Mexico City to $1,621 in Mazatlan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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