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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $251 in Altos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $376 in Altos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $501 in Altos.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 561% more expensive than in Altos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Altos is 82% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$0.48 ₲2,824

291.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.89 ₲5,276

265.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.02 ₲6,040

111.76%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.97 ₲11.6K

47.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$6.16 ₲36.4K

108.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.40 ₲20.1K

195.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$5.55 ₲32.8K

185.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.39 ₲14.1K

37.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.32 ₲7,772

52.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.38 ₲8,160

59.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.83 ₲10.8K

28.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.16 ₲6,840

76.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.39 ₲8,214

36.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.22 ₲7,175

31.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.87 ₲5,137

60.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$0.90 ₲5,309

506.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.11 ₲47.9K

117.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$0.68 ₲4,034

202.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$0.83 ₲4,877

463.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.42 ₲2,467

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$11.82 ₲69.8K

76.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.69 ₲9,962

24.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.68 ₲4,026

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.17 ₲6,885

37.61%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$19.1K ₲113.1M

19.29%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$23.9K ₲141.1M

11.97%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$35.67 ₲210.6K

82.73%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$7.99 ₲47.2K

276.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$13.78 ₲81.4K

169.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$3.52 ₲20.8K

100.00%

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

$465 MX$8,012

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$25.13 ₲148.4K

201.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,503 ₲8.9M

165.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$997 ₲5.9M

109.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$497 ₲2.9M

108.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

13.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Altos: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 109% 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 561% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 109% 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 122% 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 76% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $251 in Altos versus $1,660 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 561% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.