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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $1,721 in Avarua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,709 in Avarua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,697 in Avarua, rent included.

Mexico City is about 3% cheaper than Avarua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mexico City and Avarua sit above the global median – Mexico City by 22%, Avarua by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$11.82 NZ$20.33

2.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$59.9 NZ$103

-9.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$8.96 NZ$15.41

23.77%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.24 NZ$5.57

26.54%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$2.26 NZ$3.89

-25.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$2.40 NZ$4.13

-42.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$5.81 NZ$9.99

-42.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$4.30 NZ$7.40

36.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.81 NZ$3.10

2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$3.55 NZ$6.10

-10.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.81 NZ$3.10

14.36%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$5.01 NZ$8.62

-41.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$11.73 NZ$20.18

7.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$8.15 NZ$14.00

24.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$10.62 NZ$18.26

51.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.92 NZ$5.02

16.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.80 NZ$3.09

15.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$3.63 NZ$6.24

-41.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$9.64 NZ$16.58

-75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$3.02 NZ$5.19

-29.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$2.37 NZ$4.07

-15.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$2.33 NZ$4.01

-33.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$2.87 NZ$4.94

-52.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$14.92 NZ$25.64

18.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$4.34 NZ$7.47

6.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$2.86 NZ$4.92

-87.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$2.20 NZ$3.78

-29.55%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$119 NZ$205

-43.38%

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

$30.62 MX$520

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

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

$456 MX$7,739

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$1,012 NZ$1,740

13.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$1,007 NZ$1,731

-29.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$120 NZ$206

2054.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$971 NZ$1,669

119.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Avarua: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $1,012 in Avarua. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $60.0 in Avarua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $373 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Avarua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Avarua costs about 3% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $2,581 in Avarua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,677 in Mexico City and $1,721 in Avarua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Avarua, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,677, than in Avarua at $1,721. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Avarua it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,677 versus $1,721 in Avarua. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Avarua makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.