Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Atotonilco el Alto Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Atotonilco el Alto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,166 in Atotonilco el Alto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,843 in Atotonilco el Alto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,520 in Atotonilco el Alto.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 26% more expensive than in Atotonilco el Alto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Atotonilco el Alto is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$9.82 MX$170

33.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$46.18 MX$799

15.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$8.12 MX$141

14.90%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.68 MX$63.6

0.54%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.26 MX$21.74

26.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.94 MX$16.32

19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.45 MX$42.35

28.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$4.32 MX$74.8

12.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.55 MX$26.88

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$2.67 MX$46.15

1.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.02 MX$34.91

-5.45%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.41 MX$41.62

7.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$8.22 MX$142

19.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$9.89 MX$171

-14.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$12.90 MX$223

-7.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.71 MX$64.2

-20.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.53 MX$26.44

13.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.92 MX$33.17

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.73 MX$29.87

19.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.78 MX$30.86

20.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.90 MX$32.90

18.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.31 MX$22.59

6.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.11 MX$19.21

0.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$4.21 MX$72.8

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$16.86 MX$292

3.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.94 MX$33.52

-11.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$3.14 MX$54.3

15.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.65 MX$11.20

-46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$3.19 MX$55.1

-56.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.25 MX$21.64

-77.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$9.34 MX$162

-43.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.26 MX$21.80

7.94%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$19.8K MX$341.9K

-3.34%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$20.1K MX$347.5K

17.55%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$62.1 MX$1,074

-34.70%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$23.55 MX$407

16.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$27.87 MX$482

9.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$35.48 MX$614

47.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$16.03 MX$277

65.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$5.98 MX$103

3.51%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$315 MX$5,445

35.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$4,783 MX$82.8K

124.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$49.76 MX$861

17.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$43.30 MX$749

2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$98.3 MX$1,700

5.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$96.7 MX$1,673

12.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$518 MX$8,957

95.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$389 MX$6,737

59.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$937 MX$16.2K

126.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$765 MX$13.2K

59.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,724 MX$29.8K

119.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,269 MX$22.0K

66.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.55

-1.82%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Atotonilco el Alto: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $518 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $46.00 in Atotonilco el Alto. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $294, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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 Atotonilco el Alto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Atotonilco el Alto is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,208 in Mexico City and $1,749 in Atotonilco el Alto 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 $518 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $315 in Atotonilco el Alto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Atotonilco el Alto – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,166 in Atotonilco el Alto versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Atotonilco el Alto but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Atotonilco el Alto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Atotonilco el Alto 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 Atotonilco el Alto 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 Atotonilco el Alto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.