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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $955 in Acapulco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,460 in Acapulco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,965 in Acapulco, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 54% more than Acapulco, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Acapulco is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$10.78 MX$186

22.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$32.02 MX$554

68.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$11.34 MX$196

-16.93%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.76 MX$65.0

-5.59%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.82 MX$31.49

-10.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$1.54 MX$26.69

-27.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.57 MX$44.51

21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$4.74 MX$81.9

-2.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.56 MX$26.91

8.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$3.19 MX$55.1

-14.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.55 MX$26.82

23.23%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.74 MX$30.15

45.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.24 MX$108

60.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$8.12 MX$141

-0.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$10.78 MX$186

7.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$4.53 MX$78.4

-34.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.68 MX$29.07

7.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$3.19 MX$55.2

-36.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$3.12 MX$53.9

-34.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$3.44 MX$59.4

-38.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.87 MX$49.68

-20.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.25 MX$21.67

12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.78 MX$13.42

44.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$7.82 MX$135

-45.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$7.04 MX$122

121.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.04 MX$17.99

69.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.62 MX$45.37

37.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.73 MX$12.67

-47.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$4.27 MX$73.8

-67.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.54 MX$26.68

-81.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$8.38 MX$145

-34.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.26 MX$21.73

3.17%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$21.0K MX$362.7K

-10.87%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$22.1K MX$382.6K

4.58%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$38.89 MX$673

5.07%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$22.51 MX$389

19.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$20.88 MX$361

43.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$18.76 MX$324

177.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$13.24 MX$229

102.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$3.62 MX$62.7

74.03%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$156 MX$2,706

178.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$3,565 MX$61.7K

192.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$63.9 MX$1,105

-11.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$41.96 MX$726

5.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$106 MX$1,826

-2.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$80.3 MX$1,390

31.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$506 MX$8,748

102.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$243 MX$4,208

159.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$918 MX$15.9K

132.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$249 MX$4,302

399.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$486 MX$8,412

129.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.5

-1.39%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Acapulco: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $506 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 129% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $32.00 in Acapulco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $268 – 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 54% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,433 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $955 in Acapulco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $156 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 $955, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $955 versus $1,467 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.