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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,079 in Arica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,659 in Arica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,239 in Arica, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 36% more than Arica, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Arica is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$8.42 CLP 7,477

56.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$44.91 CLP 39.9K

20.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.10 CLP 7,191

16.30%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.72 CLP 2,414

30.51%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.30 CLP 1,150

24.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$1.07 CLP 950

3.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$3.19 CLP 2,832

-2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$4.06 CLP 3,605

14.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.20 CLP 1,065

41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.49 CLP 1,326

82.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.86 CLP 1,654

2.69%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$3.50 CLP 3,103

-27.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$10.37 CLP 9,201

-3.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$6.55 CLP 5,811

23.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$10.79 CLP 9,574

7.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.80 CLP 1,593

65.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.57 CLP 1,390

15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.57 CLP 1,394

28.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.50 CLP 1,331

35.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.29 CLP 1,143

64.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.40 CLP 1,246

62.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.23 CLP 1,090

13.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.17 CLP 1,036

-3.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$5.55 CLP 4,923

-23.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$5.27 CLP 4,681

195.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.62 CLP 1,435

8.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.30 CLP 2,043

56.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.62 CLP 554

-38.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.50 CLP 447

176.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.39 CLP 1,232

-6.47%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$19.4K CLP 17.2M

-3.74%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$21.4K CLP 19.0M

8.25%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$132 CLP 117.3K

-69.09%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$13.47 CLP 12.0K

99.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$22.22 CLP 19.7K

34.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$38.02 CLP 33.7K

36.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$21.58 CLP 19.2K

24.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$5.56 CLP 4,934

13.31%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$431 CLP 382.4K

1.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$49.70 CLP 44.1K

13.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$30.13 CLP 26.7K

47.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$56.2 CLP 49.9K

83.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$80.8 CLP 71.7K

30.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$485 CLP 430.4K

110.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$372 CLP 330.2K

69.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$895 CLP 794.1K

138.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$605 CLP 536.6K

105.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$571 CLP 507.1K

95.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.18

118.92%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arica: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $485 in Arica. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 95% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $45.00 in Arica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $226 – making Arica the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Arica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City, $1,079 in Arica – roughly 36% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,619 in Arica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arica, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $45.00 in Arica. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $1,079, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,079 in Arica to $1,467 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Arica. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.