Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Barreiras

For one person, living is cheaper in Barreiras: $829 a month against $1,674 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Barreiras, Brazil
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,674
/mo nomad
Barreiras
🇧🇷 Brazil
$829
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Barreiras

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Barreiras actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,674 in Mexico City versus $829 in Barreiras.

  • Mexico City $1,674
  • Barreiras $829

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,606 in Mexico City versus $1,316 in Barreiras.

  • Mexico City $2,606
  • Barreiras $1,316

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,537 in Mexico City versus $1,803 in Barreiras.

  • Mexico City $3,537
  • Barreiras $1,803

Living in Mexico City is roughly 102% more expensive than in Barreiras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 24% above, Barreiras is 39% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Barreiras
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.59 MX$199
$5.60 R$30.76
89.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.0 MX$978
$29.98 R$165
73.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.73 MX$202
$7.35 R$40.34
45.99%
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$71.4
$1.90 R$10.44
100.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$30.35
$1.26 R$6.89
27.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$22.81
$0.74 R$4.06
63.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 MX$59.8
$1.90 R$10.43
67.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.44 MX$102
$2.82 R$15.48
92.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Barreiras
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.32
$1.01 R$5.54
70.30%
White Bread (500g)
$2.97 MX$55.8
$1.59 R$8.72
86.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 MX$36.24
$1.21 R$6.63
59.50%
Eggs
$2.77 MX$52.2
$2.09 R$11.46
32.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.67 MX$220
$8.82 R$48.40
32.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.48 MX$178
$4.14 R$22.71
128.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.37 MX$289
$7.98 R$43.82
92.61%
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 MX$58.4
$2.14 R$11.74
44.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 MX$36.90
$1.24 R$6.80
58.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 MX$37.30
$1.12 R$6.14
76.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 MX$43.95
$1.47 R$8.06
59.18%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$38.08
$1.17 R$6.44
72.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 MX$34.34
$1.04 R$5.69
75.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.54 MX$29.06
$0.77 R$4.21
100.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.70
$0.77 R$4.21
70.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.35 MX$101
$2.38 R$13.05
124.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.19 MX$305
$7.34 R$40.26
120.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 MX$36.87
$1.18 R$6.47
66.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 MX$81.9
$1.94 R$10.67
124.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Barreiras
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 MX$5.74
$0.95 R$5.19
-68.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.49 MX$367
$41.14 R$226
-52.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 MX$36.08
$1.18 R$6.45
62.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 MX$8.90
$0.81 R$4.43
-41.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 MX$102
$7.58 R$41.58
-28.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 MX$27.92
$1.22 R$6.72
21.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$402.2K
$21.8K R$119.7K
-1.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$447.1K
$31.6K R$173.3K
-24.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Barreiras
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.0 MX$1,167
$71.6 R$393
-13.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.47 MX$536
$11.56 R$63.4
146.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11 MX$642
$19.43 R$107
75.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Barreiras
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.4 MX$1,099
$24.02 R$132
143.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.50 MX$461
$26.08 R$143
-6.06%
Cinema Ticket
$6.59 MX$124
$6.95 R$38.14
-5.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Barreiras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$434 MX$8,172
$259 R$1,423
67.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.0K MX$264.1K
$6,653 R$36.5K
110.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Barreiras
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.4 MX$1,286
$51.0 R$280
33.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.8 MX$1,031
$47.31 R$260
15.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 MX$2,086
$83.3 R$457
33.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 MX$2,183
$67.3 R$369
72.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Barreiras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,179 MX$22.2K
$331 R$1,818
256.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$771 MX$14.5K
$231 R$1,270
233.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,570 MX$48.4K
$629 R$3,450
308.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,420 MX$26.7K
$444 R$2,437
219.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,586 MX$67.5K
$1,572 R$8,630
128.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,064 MX$38.8K
$1,128 R$6,189
83.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Barreiras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,003 MX$18.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
11
3.18%

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

Last update for Mexico City: November 1, 2026

Last update for Barreiras: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$771
Barreiras
$231 70% $539
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$324
Barreiras
$183 43.6% $141
Eating Out
Mexico City
$201
Barreiras
$113 43.7% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$158
Barreiras
$112 28.9% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$125
Barreiras
$103 17.7% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Barreiras
$38 47% $34
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Barreiras
$50 101% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,179 in Mexico City and $331 in Barreiras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52 in Mexico City vs $30 in Barreiras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $183 per month, with Barreiras cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇧🇷 Barreiras
🕒 Local time
02:43 2:43 AM
05:43 5:43 AM
3 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
159,734
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.82 MXN (100 MXN = 5.31 USD). 1 EUR = 21.1 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.15 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Barreiras 6,890 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Barreiras

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Barreiras cheaper than Mexico City?
Barreiras is about 50% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,510 in Mexico City and $1,244 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.
What is the rent difference between Mexico City and Barreiras?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,179 in Mexico City versus $331 in Barreiras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $434 in Mexico City versus $259 in Barreiras. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Mexico City and in Barreiras?
Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Mexico City or in Barreiras?
At $829 in Barreiras versus $1,674 in Mexico City, a $1,000 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.
Is it better to live in Mexico City or in Barreiras?
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.

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