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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $241 in Altos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $362 in Altos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $484 in Altos.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Altos is 82% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$0.48 ₲2,902

243.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.63 ₲3,781

336.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.02 ₲6,172

83.33%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.96 ₲11.8K

27.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.15 ₲37.1K

65.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$3.44 ₲20.7K

139.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$5.56 ₲33.6K

112.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.42 ₲14.6K

24.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.27 ₲7,684

42.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.43 ₲8,628

39.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.76 ₲10.6K

13.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.17 ₲7,035

77.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.62 ₲9,765

40.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.21 ₲7,320

20.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.51 ₲3,098

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$7.87 ₲47.5K

115.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$0.69 ₲4,156

150.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$0.77 ₲4,637

364.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.39 ₲2,337

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$12.17 ₲73.4K

53.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.79 ₲4,745

68.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.68 ₲4,081

-58.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.17 ₲7,052

14.53%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$19.1K ₲115.4M

1.47%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$23.2K ₲139.8M

2.81%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$35.35 ₲213.2K

15.11%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$7.80 ₲47.1K

244.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$13.82 ₲83.4K

120.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$3.59 ₲21.7K

81.34%

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

$428 MX$7,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$25.40 ₲153.2K

125.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$1,496 ₲9.0M

159.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$1,005 ₲6.1M

102.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$494 ₲3.0M

110.28%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Altos: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 110% 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.

Average pay runs 110% higher in Mexico City, 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 97% 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 54% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $241 in Altos versus $1,456 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.