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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $909 in Acuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,583 in Acuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,257 in Acuna, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 61% more than Acuna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Acuna is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$14.08 MX$243

-6.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$22.03 MX$381

144.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.07 MX$140

16.73%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.75 MX$47.53

29.09%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.01 MX$17.48

60.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.99 MX$17.14

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.32 MX$40.21

34.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$4.00 MX$69.1

15.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.54 MX$26.62

10.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.92 MX$33.25

41.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.75 MX$30.24

9.14%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.95 MX$51.0

-13.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.94 MX$120

44.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.98 MX$86.2

62.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$8.77 MX$152

32.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.48 MX$42.83

19.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.42 MX$24.54

27.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.78 MX$30.73

12.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.91 MX$33.03

6.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.82 MX$31.48

16.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.47 MX$25.44

54.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.02 MX$17.69

37.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.32 MX$22.86

-14.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$4.17 MX$72.2

2.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$10.80 MX$187

44.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.61 MX$27.87

9.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.74 MX$47.39

31.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.62 MX$10.65

-38.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$23.49 MX$406

-18.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.65 MX$45.87

-47.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.59 MX$27.51

-82.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$8.54 MX$148

-36.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.23 MX$21.29

5.69%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$17.5K MX$302.7K

6.77%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$17.8K MX$308.3K

29.76%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$56.1 MX$969

-27.10%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$21.84 MX$378

22.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$37.11 MX$642

-19.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$28.62 MX$495

81.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$14.48 MX$251

85.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$4.29 MX$74.3

46.85%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$156 MX$2,699

179.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$3,636 MX$62.9K

186.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$45.75 MX$791

23.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$39.50 MX$683

12.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$86.4 MX$1,495

19.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$84.1 MX$1,454

25.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$290 MX$5,009

252.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$197 MX$3,407

220.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$833 MX$14.4K

156.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$630 MX$10.9K

97.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,669 MX$28.9K

133.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,349 MX$23.3K

52.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.48

-1.22%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Acuna: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $290 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $22.00 in Acuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $226 – 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 61%, 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,364 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,467 in Mexico City and $909 in Acuna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Acuna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Acuna, where all-in costs run around $909, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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.