😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,178 in Artem.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,765 in Artem.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,352 in Artem.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 23% more expensive than Artem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Artem is 12% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Artem
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98MX$223
$15.32₽1,110
-15.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.6MX$903
$38.06₽2,758
38.23%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.43MX$162
$5.80₽421
62.59%
Cappuccino
$3.57MX$61.3
$2.91₽211
22.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61MX$27.55
$0.99₽71.9
62.63%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15MX$19.81
$0.64₽46.10
79.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.15MX$54.0
$1.25₽90.7
152.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.86MX$83.4
$3.26₽236
49.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Artem
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70MX$29.17
$1.56₽113
8.97%
White Bread(500g)
$2.64MX$45.23
$0.68₽48.99
288.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.67
$1.76₽127
7.95%
Eggs
$2.54MX$43.62
$2.68₽194
-5.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.08MX$173
$11.09₽804
-9.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$142
$6.01₽436
37.94%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.57MX$199
$10.65₽772
8.64%
Apples(1kg)
$3.03MX$52.0
$2.45₽178
23.67%
Banana(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.35
$2.39₽173
-28.45%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.05MX$35.16
$2.61₽189
-21.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.06MX$35.36
$2.99₽217
-31.10%
Potato(1kg)
$2.06MX$35.43
$0.82₽59.6
151.22%
Onion(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.25
$0.82₽59.5
164.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.40MX$24.08
$1.66₽121
-15.66%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.26
$1.19₽85.9
-5.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29MX$73.7
$3.02₽219
42.05%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.41MX$265
$9.11₽660
69.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67MX$28.74
$1.10₽79.4
51.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69MX$63.3
$3.16₽229
16.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Artem
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.38MX$6.55
$0.49₽35.63
-22.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.06MX$327
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.38MX$23.70
$1.91₽139
-27.75%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.28MX$4.74
$0.18₽12.92
55.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.42MX$92.9
$6.55₽475
-17.25%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.28MX$21.98
$0.75₽54.3
70.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.0KMX$325.8K
$31.1K₽2.3M
-39.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5KMX$402.7K
$38.6K₽2.8M
-39.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Artem
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$41.02MX$704
$180₽13.1K
-77.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.92MX$462
$5.42₽393
396.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.69MX$510
$8.53₽618
248.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Artem
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.3MX$898
$34.89₽2,528
49.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.23MX$450
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.18MX$106
$5.53₽401
11.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Artem
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$427MX$7,331
$482₽34.9K
-11.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.7KMX$183.6K
$7,032₽509.5K
52.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Artem
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8MX$975
$120₽8,716
-52.76%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.83MX$769
$60.1₽4,356
-25.43%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$105MX$1,794
$80.8₽5,856
29.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106MX$1,819
$149₽10.8K
-29.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Artem
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$995MX$17.1K
$436₽31.6K
128.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$621MX$10.7K
$299₽21.7K
107.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126MX$36.5K
$763₽55.3K
178.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,254MX$21.5K
$511₽37.0K
145.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,903MX$67.0K
$2,252₽163.2K
73.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,096MX$36.0K
$1,635₽118.5K
28.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Artem
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,107MX$19.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
21
-46.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026
Last update for Artem: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $436 in Artem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $38.00 in Artem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $242 per month, with Artem 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 Artem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mexico City or Artem?
Artem wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Artem the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mexico City vs Artem?
You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,767 in Artem to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Mexico City vs Artem?
Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $436 in Artem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Mexico City and Artem?
Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $482 in Artem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Mexico City vs Artem?
Dining out is cheaper in Artem – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Mexico City or Artem?
At $1,178 in Artem versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Artem but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Artem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mexico City or Artem?
Both work as nomad bases, but Artem delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,178 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Artem hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Artem 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.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared