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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $950 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,487 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,025 in Arzamas.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 52% more expensive than Arzamas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Arzamas is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$9.77 ₽708

32.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$38.36 ₽2,780

37.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$5.59 ₽405

68.69%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.37 ₽172

50.63%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.11 ₽80.6

45.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.52 ₽37.83

121.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.43 ₽104

120.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.46 ₽179

97.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.15 ₽83.4

47.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.69 ₽50.4

282.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.36 ₽98.9

39.71%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.80 ₽131

41.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$10.75 ₽779

-6.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.94 ₽358

67.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$8.80 ₽638

31.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.75 ₽127

73.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.81 ₽131

-5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.98 ₽144

3.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$2.67 ₽193

-22.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.80 ₽58.2

157.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.72 ₽52.3

201.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.35 ₽98.0

3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.71 ₽51.8

57.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.90 ₽210

47.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$6.77 ₽491

127.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.01 ₽72.9

65.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.96 ₽142

88.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.53 ₽38.30

-28.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.89 ₽137

-26.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.35 ₽25.49

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$6.28 ₽455

-13.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.77 ₽56.1

66.23%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$34.0K ₽2.5M

-44.18%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$35.9K ₽2.6M

-34.71%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$110 ₽7,979

-62.75%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$6.09 ₽441

342.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$8.03 ₽582

269.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$34.93 ₽2,531

49.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.22 ₽378

18.39%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$330 ₽23.9K

29.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,082 ₽513.1K

51.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$70.4 ₽5,100

-19.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$45.14 ₽3,271

-0.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$115 ₽8,368

-9.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$107 ₽7,768

-1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$451 ₽32.7K

120.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$309 ₽22.4K

101.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$764 ₽55.4K

178.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$500 ₽36.3K

150.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,217 ₽160.6K

76.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,864 ₽135.1K

12.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $451 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $38.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $196 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 52% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $950 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,424 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $451 in Arzamas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $950 in Arzamas – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $950 in Arzamas versus $1,447 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 52% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.