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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $817 in Assela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,242 in Assela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,667 in Assela.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 78% more expensive than in Assela, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Assela is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$4.59 ETB 727

184.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$35.32 ETB 5,599

52.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$6.54 ETB 1,036

48.01%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.30 ETB 205

187.69%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.69 ETB 110

134.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.47 ETB 74.2

146.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.01 ETB 160

219.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$3.08 ETB 488

53.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.38 ETB 219

19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.32 ETB 210

108.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.12 ETB 336

-11.79%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.49 ETB 395

0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.98 ETB 1,106

46.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$13.67 ETB 2,166

-39.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$13.17 ETB 2,087

-10.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$6.72 ETB 1,064

-55.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.02 ETB 161

77.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.27 ETB 360

-11.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.99 ETB 157

102.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.68 ETB 108

205.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.92 ETB 304

18.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.69 ETB 109

111.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.68 ETB 108

58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.95 ETB 626

10.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$5.66 ETB 897

200.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$0.99 ETB 157

74.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.83 ETB 291

95.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.42 ETB 225

-6.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.29 ETB 46.54

-3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$2.05 ETB 325

156.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.30 ETB 206

3.08%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$54.0K ETB 8.6M

-64.06%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$53.8K ETB 8.5M

-55.72%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$157 ETB 24.9K

-74.09%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$12.04 ETB 1,909

123.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$129 ETB 20.5K

-76.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$5.76 ETB 914

13.02%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$80.2 ETB 12.7K

433.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$39.8K ETB 6.3M

-73.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$46.74 ETB 7,409

22.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$73.9 ETB 11.7K

-38.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$94.5 ETB 15.0K

10.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$113 ETB 17.8K

-4.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-33.29%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Assela: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $35.00 in Assela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $265 per month, with Assela 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 Assela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assela is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,185 in Mexico City and $1,225 in Assela 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.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $80.2 in Assela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Assela – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $817 in Assela versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assela but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Assela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Assela is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Assela 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 Assela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.