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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $744 in Barretos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,210 in Barretos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,675 in Barretos, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 95% more than Barretos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Barretos is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$6.27 R$31.74

107.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$21.80 R$110

141.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$5.49 R$27.81

71.77%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.48 R$7.48

141.22%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.26 R$6.40

27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.51 R$2.60

125.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.78 R$9.02

76.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.65 R$13.42

83.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.96 R$4.88

77.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.76 R$8.90

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.13 R$5.74

68.14%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.27 R$11.50

11.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$10.11 R$51.2

-0.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.00 R$20.23

107.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$8.58 R$43.46

34.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.10 R$10.63

44.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.66 R$8.43

3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.45 R$7.34

41.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.75 R$8.84

17.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.45 R$7.36

42.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.39 R$7.06

56.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.95 R$4.80

47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.63 R$3.21

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$1.78 R$9.03

141.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$7.67 R$38.81

100.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.36 R$6.88

22.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.01 R$10.16

83.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.91 R$4.62

-58.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$38.47 R$195

-50.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.12 R$5.66

23.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.59 R$2.97

-52.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$7.70 R$39.00

-29.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.84 R$4.27

52.38%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$22.4K R$113.6K

-15.38%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$28.7K R$145.4K

-18.34%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$26.58 R$135

54.33%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$5.32 R$26.92

406.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$14.60 R$73.9

103.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$22.11 R$112

136.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$21.78 R$110

20.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.23 R$36.59

-14.52%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$328 R$1,659

30.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$8,868 R$44.9K

20.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$54.8 R$278

3.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$21.30 R$108

110.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$74.5 R$377

40.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$62.0 R$314

71.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$317 R$1,602

214.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$212 R$1,073

193.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$584 R$2,955

264.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$436 R$2,208

187.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,485 R$7,518

162.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,047 R$5,299

100.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$552 R$2,794

100.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.17

1.52%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barretos: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $317 in Barretos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 101% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $22.00 in Barretos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $197 – making Barretos 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 Barretos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City, $744 in Barretos – roughly 95% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,116 in Barretos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $22.00 in Barretos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,447 in Mexico City and $744 in Barretos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barretos, where all-in costs run around $744, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Barretos 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 $744 in Barretos to $1,447 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Barretos. 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.