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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $781 in Barreiras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,243 in Barreiras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,704 in Barreiras.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 85% more expensive than Barreiras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Barreiras is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.51 R$27.91

135.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$26.93 R$136

95.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.31 R$31.95

49.45%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.73 R$8.74

106.36%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.08 R$5.47

49.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.65 R$3.32

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.79 R$9.05

75.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.62 R$13.26

85.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.96 R$4.84

77.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.44 R$7.30

83.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.17 R$5.95

62.39%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.01 R$10.17

26.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$8.42 R$42.63

19.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.60 R$18.22

130.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.10 R$35.97

62.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.04 R$10.34

48.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.25 R$6.31

36.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.14 R$5.78

79.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.45 R$7.36

42.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.15 R$5.82

79.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.11 R$5.60

95.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.69 R$3.49

102.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.62 R$3.12

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.11 R$10.68

103.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$7.86 R$39.78

96.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.26 R$6.36

32.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.05 R$10.40

80.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.91 R$4.61

-58.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$38.60 R$195

-50.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.06 R$5.37

30.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.76 R$3.85

-63.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$6.54 R$33.11

-17.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.05 R$5.30

21.90%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$20.7K R$104.7K

-8.21%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$27.1K R$137.3K

-13.47%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$61.3 R$310

-33.05%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$13.46 R$68.1

100.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$19.06 R$96.5

55.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$22.94 R$116

128.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$21.24 R$108

23.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.17 R$31.25

0.16%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$275 R$1,394

55.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$6,578 R$33.3K

62.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$48.21 R$244

17.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$41.80 R$212

7.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$76.0 R$385

37.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$64.6 R$327

63.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$311 R$1,576

219.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$215 R$1,086

189.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$575 R$2,911

269.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$437 R$2,211

187.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,641 R$8,310

137.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,033 R$5,230

102.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.92

3.85%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barreiras: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $311 in Barreiras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $27.00 in Barreiras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $173 per month, with Barreiras 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 Barreiras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barreiras is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,172 in Barreiras 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $311 in Barreiras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $275 in Barreiras. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $781 in Barreiras versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Barreiras but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Barreiras the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Barreiras 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.

Expats usually find Barreiras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.