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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,351 in Arta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $2,012 in Arta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,673 in Arta, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 9% more than Arta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Arta sit above the global median – Mexico City by 10%, Arta by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$11.74 €10.10

12.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$46.15 €39.70

16.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$10.36 €8.91

-9.07%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$4.45 €3.83

-20.22%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$2.44 €2.10

-33.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.60 €0.51

85.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$5.55 €4.78

-43.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$5.77 €4.96

-19.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.30 €1.12

30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.18 €1.02

130.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$0.89 €0.76

114.61%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$3.51 €3.02

-27.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$13.55 €11.65

-25.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$11.04 €9.50

-26.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$11.47 €9.87

1.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.02 €0.88

191.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.31 €1.12

38.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.24 €1.07

62.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.03 €0.88

97.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.25 €1.07

69.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.15 €0.99

97.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.79 €0.68

77.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.17 €0.14

564.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$5.14 €4.42

-16.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$4.52 €3.89

244.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$0.94 €0.81

87.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.25 €1.93

60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$1.57 €1.35

-75.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$46.60 €40.09

-58.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$4.71 €4.05

-70.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.08 €0.93

-74.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$13.41 €11.53

-59.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$2.05 €1.76

-36.59%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$31.8K €27.3K

-41.20%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$30.9K €26.6K

-25.12%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$213 €183

-80.82%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$25.58 €22.01

4.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$25.72 €22.13

16.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$47.86 €41.17

8.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$26.09 €22.44

2.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$10.08 €8.67

-37.50%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$433 €372

0.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$8,274 €7,117

25.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$83.6 €71.9

-32.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$28.83 €24.80

53.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$82.5 €71.0

24.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$93.4 €80.3

13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$489 €421

108.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$382 €328

65.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$766 €659

178.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$610 €525

103.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$2,729 €2,348

43.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$2,181 €1,876

-5.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$925 €796

20.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.68

142.31%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $489 in Arta. 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 21% 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 $46.00 in Arta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $225 – making Arta 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 Arta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $2,027 in Arta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $433 in Arta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Arta, where all-in costs run around $1,351, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Arta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arta – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arta. 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.