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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $954 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,466 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,978 in Arzamas.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 54% more expensive than in Arzamas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Arzamas is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$9.35 ₽745

40.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$37.43 ₽2,979

43.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$5.73 ₽456

62.83%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.25 ₽179

64.44%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.12 ₽88.8

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.51 ₽40.67

119.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.40 ₽112

124.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.49 ₽198

94.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.12 ₽88.8

47.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.65 ₽52.1

316.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.37 ₽109

39.42%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.70 ₽135

52.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$10.80 ₽859

-9.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$4.92 ₽391

71.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$8.71 ₽693

36.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.72 ₽137

71.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.88 ₽150

-7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.98 ₽157

3.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$2.71 ₽215

-23.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.83 ₽66.2

159.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.66 ₽52.9

242.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.40 ₽112

-0.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.72 ₽57.3

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.85 ₽227

48.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$6.46 ₽514

171.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.01 ₽80.0

69.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.88 ₽150

93.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.53 ₽42.05

-33.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.91 ₽152

-27.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.33 ₽26.23

-15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$6.51 ₽518

-18.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.77 ₽61.3

76.62%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$33.9K ₽2.7M

-43.61%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$35.4K ₽2.8M

-33.23%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$107 ₽8,553

-62.28%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$5.82 ₽463

370.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$7.94 ₽632

282.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$35.86 ₽2,854

45.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$5.11 ₽407

21.14%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$325 ₽25.9K

30.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$7,044 ₽560.7K

52.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$70.2 ₽5,587

-16.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$45.06 ₽3,586

-1.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$114 ₽9,058

-9.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$106 ₽8,408

2.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$448 ₽35.6K

126.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$300 ₽23.9K

107.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$758 ₽60.3K

179.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$501 ₽39.9K

144.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$2,008 ₽159.8K

88.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,434 ₽114.1K

47.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

15.33

-26.03%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $448 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $37.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $194 per month, with Arzamas 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 Arzamas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Arzamas differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $954 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,208 in Mexico City and $1,431 in Arzamas 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $448 in Arzamas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $954 in Arzamas – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $954 in Arzamas versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arzamas but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Arzamas 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.

Expats usually find Arzamas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.