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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $242 in Altos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $365 in Altos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $487 in Altos.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 505% more expensive than Altos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Altos is 82% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$0.48 ₲2,903

254.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.59 ₲3,584

361.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$0.98 ₲5,966

94.90%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.94 ₲11.8K

30.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.17 ₲37.6K

62.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$3.60 ₲21.9K

124.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$5.60 ₲34.1K

107.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.45 ₲15.0K

21.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.27 ₲7,745

42.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.42 ₲8,661

41.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.81 ₲11.0K

12.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.22 ₲7,421

73.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.64 ₲9,977

38.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.22 ₲7,447

14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.51 ₲3,110

121.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$7.82 ₲47.6K

98.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$0.68 ₲4,143

158.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$0.76 ₲4,647

373.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.42 ₲2,541

-9.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$12.06 ₲73.5K

59.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.77 ₲4,716

79.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.72 ₲4,374

-61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.14 ₲6,944

14.04%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$19.2K ₲117.1M

-2.72%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$23.9K ₲145.5M

-3.14%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$34.49 ₲210.2K

18.47%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$7.97 ₲48.5K

236.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$14.09 ₲85.8K

112.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$3.48 ₲21.2K

81.03%

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$24.63 ₲150.1K

130.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,508 ₲9.2M

158.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$988 ₲6.0M

108.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$502 ₲3.1M

122.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Altos: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 122% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Altos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Altos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 505% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 122% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

A monthly transit pass in Altos runs roughly 59% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $242 in Altos versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Altos but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Altos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Altos 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.

Expats usually find Altos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 505% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.