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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $923 in Acapulco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,524 in Acapulco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $2,125 in Acapulco, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 80% more than Acapulco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Acapulco is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$10.04 MX$173

18.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$41.10 MX$708

25.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$12.81 MX$221

-10.93%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$4.14 MX$71.3

-3.62%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$1.74 MX$29.91

-4.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$1.77 MX$30.54

-24.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$3.30 MX$56.8

5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$5.11 MX$87.9

15.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$1.69 MX$29.15

11.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$3.20 MX$55.1

1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.72 MX$29.54

25.58%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.93 MX$33.22

50.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$7.11 MX$122

80.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$8.50 MX$146

18.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$11.76 MX$203

34.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$5.05 MX$87.0

-34.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.76 MX$30.26

14.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.40 MX$58.6

-35.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$3.42 MX$58.9

-30.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$3.76 MX$64.7

-45.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$3.19 MX$55.0

-40.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$1.38 MX$23.77

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.84 MX$14.54

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$8.88 MX$153

-38.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$7.05 MX$121

150.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$1.14 MX$19.56

80.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$2.88 MX$49.54

62.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$1.01 MX$17.32

-66.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$5.12 MX$88.1

-58.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.56 MX$26.89

3.21%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$23.0K MX$396.5K

-0.81%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$25.8K MX$443.4K

3.88%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$43.43 MX$748

50.08%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$15.90 MX$274

89.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$23.16 MX$399

60.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$20.30 MX$350

194.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$14.86 MX$256

78.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.10 MX$70.6

71.71%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$175 MX$3,019

165.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$69.1 MX$1,190

9.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$45.77 MX$788

22.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$118 MX$2,039

-5.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$89.2 MX$1,535

35.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$548 MX$9,435

101.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$164 MX$2,817

340.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,032 MX$17.8K

145.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$343 MX$5,908

276.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$480 MX$8,271

115.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.6

-2.59%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Acapulco: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $548 in Acapulco. 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 116% higher in Mexico City, 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $41.00 in Acapulco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $288 – making Acapulco 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

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

Mexico City costs about 80% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,385 in Acapulco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,660 in Mexico City and $923 in Acapulco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Mexico City and $175 in Acapulco. 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 Acapulco, where all-in costs run around $923, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Acapulco 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. Acapulco costs $923 versus $1,660 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Acapulco. 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.