Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Alba Iulia Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Alba Iulia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $962 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,464 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,967 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 53% more expensive than Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Alba Iulia is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$9.07 RON 41.02

45.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$34.38 RON 155

56.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.27 RON 28.34

50.24%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.41 RON 10.89

47.30%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.90 RON 8.57

-14.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$1.64 RON 7.42

-32.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.25 RON 10.18

38.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.31 RON 10.45

100.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.37 RON 6.17

24.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.24 RON 5.61

119.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.63 RON 7.38

17.18%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$3.04 RON 13.74

-16.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$8.64 RON 39.05

16.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$6.62 RON 29.91

22.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$11.88 RON 53.7

-2.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$0.98 RON 4.42

203.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.42 RON 6.44

27.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.36 RON 6.16

47.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$2.39 RON 10.81

-15.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.78 RON 3.54

171.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.61 RON 2.75

272.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.87 RON 3.95

60.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.66 RON 2.99

71.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$5.83 RON 26.37

-26.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$4.32 RON 19.51

260.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.14 RON 5.16

54.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.34 RON 6.08

168.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.83 RON 3.76

-54.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$17.22 RON 77.8

11.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.71 RON 3.19

94.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.77 RON 3.46

-63.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$5.21 RON 23.54

4.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.52 RON 6.88

-14.47%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$28.0K RON 126.7K

-33.35%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$27.3K RON 123.4K

-15.27%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$137 RON 619

-70.17%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$8.11 RON 36.66

230.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$9.06 RON 40.94

230.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$31.74 RON 144

63.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$34.20 RON 155

-21.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$5.42 RON 24.50

16.24%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$454 RON 2,050

-3.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$6,512 RON 29.4K

59.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$42.24 RON 191

34.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$26.28 RON 119

68.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$81.6 RON 369

26.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$70.1 RON 317

50.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$323 RON 1,460

216.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$273 RON 1,233

131.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$550 RON 2,485

288.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$451 RON 2,039

175.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,683 RON 7,606

131.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,471 RON 6,650

40.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$958 RON 4,331

16.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.7

47.27%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $323 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $34.00 in Alba Iulia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $202 per month, with Alba Iulia cheaper across the board.

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 Alba Iulia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alba Iulia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 16% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $323 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $962 in Alba Iulia – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alba Iulia runs roughly 11% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $962 in Alba Iulia versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Alba Iulia but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Alba Iulia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Alba Iulia is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Alba Iulia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Alba Iulia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.