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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $667 in Alfenas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,199 in Alfenas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,732 in Alfenas, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 117% more than Alfenas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Alfenas is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.55 R$17.98

265.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$27.03 R$137

94.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$5.49 R$27.77

71.77%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$0.92 R$4.68

288.04%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.52 R$2.62

209.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.56 R$2.82

105.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.12 R$10.74

48.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.76 R$13.98

76.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.05 R$5.33

61.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.77 R$8.97

49.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.35 R$6.83

40.74%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.40 R$12.13

5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$11.16 R$56.5

-9.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.37 R$22.12

89.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$9.18 R$46.47

26.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.86 R$14.46

5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.86 R$9.42

-8.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.65 R$8.33

24.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.85 R$9.36

11.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.42 R$7.20

45.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.24 R$6.30

75.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.01 R$5.10

38.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.73 R$3.69

53.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$1.79 R$9.06

139.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$9.67 R$48.96

59.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.31 R$6.62

27.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.41 R$12.18

53.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.87 R$4.40

-56.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$38.70 R$196

-50.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.07 R$5.41

28.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.71 R$3.58

-60.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$9.27 R$46.96

-41.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.05 R$5.31

21.90%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$22.0K R$111.6K

-13.88%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$27.3K R$138.3K

-14.11%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$54.5 R$276

-24.79%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$13.25 R$67.1

103.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$18.33 R$92.8

61.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$22.79 R$115

129.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$21.57 R$109

21.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.37 R$32.27

-2.98%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$502 R$2,543

-14.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$15.5K R$78.2K

-30.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$50.8 R$257

11.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$41.77 R$211

7.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$77.7 R$393

34.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$72.2 R$365

46.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$321 R$1,627

209.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$91.4 R$463

579.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$592 R$2,998

259.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$431 R$2,180

191.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,603 R$8,114

143.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,025 R$5,188

104.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$480 R$2,431

130.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.56

-1.90%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Alfenas: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $321 in Alfenas. 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 131% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $27.00 in Alfenas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $218 – making Alfenas 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 Alfenas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City, $667 in Alfenas – roughly 117% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,000 in Alfenas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 32% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $27.00 in Alfenas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Alfenas, where all-in costs run around $667, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Alfenas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $667 in Alfenas to $1,447 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Alfenas. 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.