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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,267 in Antigua Guatemala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $2,111 in Antigua Guatemala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,955 in Antigua Guatemala.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 16% more expensive than Antigua Guatemala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Antigua Guatemala is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$5.12 Q 39.04

157.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$53.2 Q 405

1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.49 Q 49.49

45.15%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.40 Q 25.90

4.41%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.22 Q 9.31

32.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.92 Q 6.98

20.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$3.87 Q 29.46

-19.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$4.60 Q 35.08

0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.94 Q 14.79

-12.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$3.08 Q 23.47

-11.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.64 Q 12.52

16.46%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.55 Q 19.45

-0.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$7.65 Q 58.3

31.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$8.47 Q 64.6

-4.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$10.28 Q 78.3

13.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$3.65 Q 27.85

-18.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.56 Q 11.91

16.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$3.08 Q 23.47

-34.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.65 Q 12.59

23.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.76 Q 13.39

20.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.73 Q 13.15

31.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.74 Q 5.65

89.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.23 Q 9.34

-8.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.61 Q 27.50

18.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$7.98 Q 60.8

94.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.69 Q 12.87

4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.42 Q 18.48

48.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$1.97 Q 15.03

-80.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$4.67 Q 35.60

-70.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$15.37 Q 117

-64.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.12 Q 8.52

16.07%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$19.6K Q 149.4K

-4.68%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$22.1K Q 168.2K

4.77%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$48.43 Q 369

-15.63%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$26.09 Q 199

2.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$48.90 Q 373

-38.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$40.38 Q 308

28.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$27.77 Q 212

-3.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.31 Q 55.7

-13.82%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$246 Q 1,878

77.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$5,834 Q 44.5K

78.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$46.64 Q 355

21.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$53.6 Q 409

-17.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$101 Q 771

1.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$83.8 Q 639

25.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$879 Q 6,701

16.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$556 Q 4,237

13.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$2,010 Q 15.3K

6.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$1,247 Q 9,503

-0.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$2,985 Q 22.8K

30.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,222 Q 9,312

68.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$539 Q 4,104

107.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

8.5

33.41%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $879 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 107% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $267 per month, with Antigua Guatemala cheaper across the board.

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 16% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $1,267 including rent). Antigua Guatemala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 107% more on average, 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $879 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $246 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 $53.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,267 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,467 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 16% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.