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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,219 in Acuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,937 in Acuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $2,656 in Acuna, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 36% more than Acuna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Acuna is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$9.92 MX$170

20.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$45.58 MX$782

13.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$8.98 MX$154

27.06%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$3.53 MX$60.6

13.03%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$1.24 MX$21.37

33.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$1.00 MX$17.19

33.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$2.49 MX$42.70

39.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$4.15 MX$71.3

42.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.57 MX$26.95

19.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$2.76 MX$47.42

17.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.74 MX$29.87

24.14%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.61 MX$44.79

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$9.86 MX$169

30.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$8.73 MX$150

15.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$13.63 MX$234

16.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$2.58 MX$44.35

27.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.55 MX$26.60

29.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.07 MX$35.48

6.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$2.03 MX$34.86

16.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.79 MX$30.70

14.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.91 MX$32.70

-0.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.67 MX$28.60

-3.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$1.25 MX$21.39

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$4.75 MX$81.6

14.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$11.30 MX$194

56.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.74 MX$29.89

18.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$3.69 MX$63.4

26.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.64 MX$10.94

-46.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$2.96 MX$50.9

-29.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$2.02 MX$34.65

-72.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$10.51 MX$180

-44.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.42 MX$24.42

13.38%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$20.8K MX$357.4K

9.69%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$27.6K MX$473.2K

-2.97%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$66.5 MX$1,142

-2.03%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$21.11 MX$362

42.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$28.07 MX$482

32.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$36.07 MX$619

65.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$23.93 MX$411

10.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.65 MX$96.9

24.60%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$224 MX$3,850

107.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$4,828 MX$82.9K

174.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$50.2 MX$862

51.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$51.1 MX$877

9.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$97.3 MX$1,669

15.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$92.9 MX$1,594

29.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$600 MX$10.3K

83.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$438 MX$7,513

64.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$1,266 MX$21.7K

99.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$926 MX$15.9K

39.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$1,894 MX$32.5K

110.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$1,163 MX$20.0K

79.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Acuna: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $600 in Acuna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $46.00 in Acuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $285 – making Acuna 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 Acuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,829 in Acuna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $46.00 in Acuna. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Acuna, where all-in costs run around $1,219, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Acuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Acuna – 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 Acuna. 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.