Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Antigua Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Antigua Guatemala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,341 in Antigua Guatemala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $2,199 in Antigua Guatemala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $3,057 in Antigua Guatemala.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 23% more expensive than in Antigua Guatemala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Antigua Guatemala is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$6.98 Q 53.2

73.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$51.7 Q 394

1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$7.71 Q 58.8

41.37%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$3.44 Q 26.21

17.73%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$1.11 Q 8.50

54.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.85 Q 6.48

62.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$3.29 Q 25.13

5.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$4.84 Q 36.93

20.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$2.02 Q 15.38

-8.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$2.92 Q 22.31

10.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$1.64 Q 12.51

27.44%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$2.53 Q 19.30

15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$5.50 Q 41.98

127.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$9.14 Q 69.7

10.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$10.28 Q 78.4

54.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$3.93 Q 29.97

-15.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$1.69 Q 12.90

26.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$2.81 Q 21.44

-22.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$1.59 Q 12.16

54.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$1.53 Q 11.66

43.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$1.72 Q 13.10

10.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.74 Q 5.66

118.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$1.15 Q 8.75

17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$4.00 Q 30.52

35.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$8.05 Q 61.4

118.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.81 Q 13.78

14.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$2.68 Q 20.47

77.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$2.04 Q 15.59

-83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$4.57 Q 34.88

-55.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$10.38 Q 79.2

-42.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.21 Q 9.26

33.88%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$23.0K Q 175.6K

-0.90%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$21.7K Q 165.7K

22.71%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$63.5 Q 484

2.82%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$29.10 Q 222

2.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$44.90 Q 343

-18.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$51.1 Q 390

19.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$27.29 Q 208

-2.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$6.23 Q 47.51

9.95%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$337 Q 2,573

34.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$6,794 Q 51.8K

96.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$44.45 Q 339

68.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$47.21 Q 360

17.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$93.0 Q 709

22.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$90.1 Q 687

36.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$908 Q 6,924

24.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$570 Q 4,349

24.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$2,002 Q 15.3K

28.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$1,266 Q 9,659

3.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$2,968 Q 22.6K

34.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,183 Q 9,027

77.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$540 Q 4,122

93.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.62

-2.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $908 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 94% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $52.0 in Antigua Guatemala. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $263, with Antigua Guatemala cheaper for home cooking.

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 Antigua Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Antigua Guatemala differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $1,341 including rent). Antigua Guatemala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 94% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $908 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $337 in Antigua Guatemala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antigua Guatemala – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,341 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Antigua Guatemala but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Antigua Guatemala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Antigua Guatemala 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 Antigua Guatemala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.