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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,799 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $5,039 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $7,279 in Aruba.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 48% less than in Aruba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Aruba 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$13.18 AWG 23.59

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$89.2 AWG 160

-39.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$10.04 AWG 17.96

-6.18%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$4.90 AWG 8.77

-27.55%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$2.31 AWG 4.12

-29.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$2.09 AWG 3.73

-46.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$4.19 AWG 7.50

-25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$6.26 AWG 11.20

-26.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$2.39 AWG 4.27

-28.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$3.72 AWG 6.66

-26.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$3.92 AWG 7.02

-51.28%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$5.61 AWG 10.04

-54.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$32.39 AWG 58.0

-69.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$6.51 AWG 11.66

24.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$16.71 AWG 29.90

-30.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$5.92 AWG 10.59

-49.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$2.92 AWG 5.23

-38.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$6.95 AWG 12.43

-71.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$8.23 AWG 14.73

-75.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$4.08 AWG 7.31

-48.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$3.76 AWG 6.73

-39.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$6.09 AWG 10.90

-77.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$3.85 AWG 6.89

-70.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$17.75 AWG 31.76

-75.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$18.08 AWG 32.35

-13.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$5.07 AWG 9.07

-28.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

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

$1.41 AWG 2.53

-7.80%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

$257 AWG 460

-84.10%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$131 AWG 234

-79.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$66.5 AWG 119

-54.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$60.3 AWG 108

-13.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$12.87 AWG 23.03

-51.05%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$304 AWG 544

43.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$17.7K AWG 31.7K

-41.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$49.48 AWG 88.5

14.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$65.5 AWG 117

-32.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$122 AWG 219

-15.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$733 AWG 1,312

39.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$1,390 AWG 2,487

-54.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$3,140 AWG 5,620

-31.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$4,018 AWG 7,190

-69.07%

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

$1,895 AWG 3,391

-41.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

62.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aruba: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $733 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 70% 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 $89.0 in Aruba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $532 per month, with Mexico City 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 Aruba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Aruba differ by about 91% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $2,799 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Aruba earns 70% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $733 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 84% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $2,799 in Aruba – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,799 in Aruba, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Aruba. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Aruba 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.