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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,201 in Azcapotzalco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,929 in Azcapotzalco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,657 in Azcapotzalco.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 38% more expensive than in Azcapotzalco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Azcapotzalco is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$11.68 MX$201

2.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$47.54 MX$820

8.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$8.66 MX$149

31.76%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.70 MX$63.9

7.84%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.42 MX$24.46

16.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.14 MX$19.59

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.85 MX$49.18

21.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$4.33 MX$74.7

36.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.75 MX$30.22

7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.89 MX$49.90

12.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.80 MX$30.99

20.00%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.52 MX$43.50

15.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$8.65 MX$149

48.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$9.04 MX$156

11.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$12.46 MX$215

27.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.89 MX$49.88

13.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.64 MX$28.30

22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.00 MX$34.50

10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.87 MX$32.16

26.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$2.12 MX$36.52

-3.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.92 MX$33.14

-1.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.51 MX$26.02

6.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.15 MX$19.81

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.56 MX$78.7

19.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$11.48 MX$198

53.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.91 MX$32.89

7.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.30 MX$57.0

41.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.67 MX$11.50

-49.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$2.80 MX$48.35

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$2.05 MX$35.36

-72.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$13.02 MX$225

-55.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.49 MX$25.66

8.05%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$22.5K MX$388.4K

1.40%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$26.2K MX$451.7K

2.11%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$62.0 MX$1,068

5.21%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$23.41 MX$404

28.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$31.70 MX$546

17.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$35.90 MX$619

66.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$21.78 MX$375

21.90%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.68 MX$97.9

23.94%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$250 MX$4,306

86.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$4,822 MX$83.1K

175.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$59.4 MX$1,024

27.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$45.20 MX$779

23.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$107 MX$1,839

4.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$90.5 MX$1,560

33.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$650 MX$11.2K

69.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$406 MX$6,994

77.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,118 MX$19.3K

126.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$831 MX$14.3K

55.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,983 MX$34.2K

101.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,235 MX$21.3K

69.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,832 MX$31.6K

-43.37%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Azcapotzalco: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $650 in Azcapotzalco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Azcapotzalco pays 77% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $48.00 in Azcapotzalco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $283 per month, with Azcapotzalco 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 Azcapotzalco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Azcapotzalco differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,201 including rent). Azcapotzalco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 77% lower in Azcapotzalco. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $650 in Azcapotzalco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $1,201 in Azcapotzalco – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,201 in Azcapotzalco versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Azcapotzalco but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Azcapotzalco 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 Azcapotzalco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.