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

🙂 Solo nomad: Mexico City is 26.5% cheaper than Alajuela without rent, and 8.1% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Mexico City is 2.1% cheaper than Alajuela without rent, and 2.3% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.38 MX$253

$9.9 ₡4,957

35.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 MX$997

$39.44 ₡19.7K

33.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 MX$176

$9.22 ₡4,614

0.98%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$68.3

$3.76 ₡1,881

-3.99%

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

$1.64 MX$30.91

$2 ₡1,003

-18.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$21.14

$1.29 ₡648

-13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MX$61.7

$2.21 ₡1,105

47.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 MX$91.1

$3.63 ₡1,818

32.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$31.24

$1.87 ₡936

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 MX$51.7

$2.42 ₡1,210

13.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$36.28

$2.24 ₡1,120

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$47.53

$2.21 ₡1,108

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 MX$187

$9.87 ₡4,940

0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$159

$9.15 ₡4,582

-8.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 MX$226

$13.48 ₡6,749

-11.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MX$54.3

$4 ₡2,003

-28.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$32.85

$1.45 ₡727

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2 MX$37.81

$4.14 ₡2,073

-51.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$39.14

$2.85 ₡1,426

-27.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$38.78

$2.81 ₡1,408

-27.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$41.22

$2.51 ₡1,258

-13.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 MX$26.16

$1.01 ₡507

36.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$21.06

$2.61 ₡1,309

-57.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$78.6

$4.92 ₡2,461

-15.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.05 MX$209

$18.86 ₡9,443

-41.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 MX$33.16

$2.08 ₡1,042

-15.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.7 MX$70

$2.54 ₡1,270

45.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$7.25

$0.81 ₡405

-53.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.97 MX$359

$110 ₡55.3K

-82.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 MX$25.72

$1.44 ₡721

-5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$5.25

$1.29 ₡648

-78.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.3 MX$100

$8.07 ₡4,038

-34.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$25.63

$1.39 ₡697

-2.16%

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

$18.8K MX$354.6K

$38.1K ₡19.1M

-50.81%

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

$23.4K MX$441.7K

$32.4K ₡16.2M

-27.83%

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

$39.97 MX$756

$45.25 ₡22.7K

-11.67%

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

$27.48 MX$519

$19.72 ₡9,873

39.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.22 MX$571

$32.46 ₡16.2K

-6.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$994

$64.6 ₡32.3K

-18.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$507

$44.61 ₡22.3K

-39.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 MX$120

$8.88 ₡4,444

-28.83%

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

$437 MX$8,258

$297 ₡148.5K

47.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MX$199.9K

$2,329 ₡1.2M

353.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$1,082

$61.6 ₡30.8K

-7.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.14 MX$853

$50.8 ₡25.4K

-11.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,928

$119 ₡59.7K

-14.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$2,056

$101 ₡50.7K

7.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$18.9K

$709 ₡355K

40.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 MX$11.8K

$602 ₡301.3K

3.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 MX$40.8K

$1,004 ₡502.8K

115.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$23.3K

$936 ₡468.5K

31.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,566 MX$67.4K

$2,022 ₡1M

76.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,480 MX$46.9K

$1,481 ₡741.5K

67.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 MX$16.4K

$1,217 ₡609K

-28.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.17

11.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 28, 2025

Last update for Alajuela: October 28, 2025

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