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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,025 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,587 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,150 in Barlad, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 43% more than Barlad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Barlad is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$230

$9.37 RON 42.67

40.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$941

$46.93 RON 214

14.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$165

$7.83 RON 35.66

20.31%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$62.0

$2.70 RON 12.30

31.48%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$1.99 RON 9.04

-18.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.46

$1.74 RON 7.94

-36.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.5

$2.35 RON 10.72

32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.9

$2.71 RON 12.32

70.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.71

$1.48 RON 6.74

14.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.47

$1.19 RON 5.41

128.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.39

$1.73 RON 7.89

10.40%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.29

$3.35 RON 15.26

-24.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$175

$8.39 RON 38.19

19.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$141

$6.87 RON 31.27

17.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$203

$10.50 RON 47.82

10.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.8

$1.13 RON 5.15

162.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.55

$1.60 RON 7.27

13.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.16

$1.61 RON 7.32

24.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.54

$1.93 RON 8.77

5.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$37.10

$0.84 RON 3.84

152.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.63

$0.92 RON 4.19

146.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.45

$0.90 RON 4.08

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.74

$0.82 RON 3.72

37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.6

$5.84 RON 26.60

-26.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$272

$5.91 RON 26.89

163.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.68

$1.03 RON 4.69

70.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.8

$1.69 RON 7.70

113.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.69

$0.71 RON 3.24

-46.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$335

$19.73 RON 89.8

-2.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.03

$0.76 RON 3.48

81.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.83

$0.74 RON 3.35

-62.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$95.1

$7.09 RON 32.26

-23.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.77

$1.54 RON 7.00

-15.58%

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

$18.7K MX$326.4K

$28.3K RON 128.8K

-33.97%

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

$23.1K MX$404.0K

$26.9K RON 122.5K

-14.06%

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

$40.86 MX$714

$147 RON 668

-72.16%

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

$26.81 MX$468

$7.88 RON 35.86

240.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$523

$9.12 RON 41.52

228.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$908

$41.89 RON 191

24.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$469

$18.99 RON 86.5

41.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$110

$7.07 RON 32.20

-10.89%

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

$436 MX$7,617

$433 RON 1,971

0.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$181.9K

$6,944 RON 31.6K

50.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$989

$68.0 RON 309

-16.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$775

$38.52 RON 175

15.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,798

$75.3 RON 343

36.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,843

$91.2 RON 415

15.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.8K

$396 RON 1,802

158.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$11.0K

$292 RON 1,327

116.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.3K

$585 RON 2,665

264.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.7K

$443 RON 2,018

180.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.2K

$1,967 RON 8,954

98.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$36.1K

$1,223 RON 5,566

68.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.56

72.87%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barlad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $396 in Barlad. 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 $47.00 in Barlad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $207 – making Barlad 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 Barlad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City, $1,025 in Barlad – roughly 43% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,537 in Barlad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 3% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $433 in Barlad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barlad, where all-in costs run around $1,025, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Barlad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,025 in Barlad to $1,467 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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