Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Barretos

For one person, living is cheaper in Barretos: $784 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Barretos, Brazil
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Barretos
🇧🇷 Brazil
$784
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Barretos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $784 in Barretos, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Barretos $784

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $1,282 in Barretos, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Barretos $1,282

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $1,781 in Barretos, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Barretos $1,781

Mexico City costs about 105% more than Barretos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 18% above the global median, while Barretos is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Barretos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$198
$6.65 R$35.53
59.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$901
$22.29 R$119
116.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$193
$5.63 R$30.10
83.84%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$68.8
$1.46 R$7.83
152.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.07
$1.21 R$6.44
38.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.59
$0.53 R$2.85
139.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.5
$2.21 R$11.84
44.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$98.9
$2.80 R$14.98
89.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Barretos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.15
$0.93 R$5.00
84.95%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$56.7
$1.87 R$9.98
62.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$1.28 R$6.86
51.56%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$53.8
$2.38 R$12.70
21.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$205
$10.25 R$54.8
7.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$172
$4.58 R$24.48
101.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$282
$9.77 R$52.2
54.86%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$56.8
$2.24 R$11.99
36.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$1.53 R$8.18
26.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.75
$1.45 R$7.76
40.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.15
$1.27 R$6.78
81.89%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$37.94
$1.22 R$6.50
67.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.55
$1.16 R$6.21
55.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.58
$0.93 R$4.96
59.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.63
$0.81 R$4.32
56.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$98.9
$2.33 R$12.46
127.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$300
$7.64 R$40.88
110.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$36.97
$1.44 R$7.72
37.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.3
$2.42 R$12.96
75.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Barretos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.69
$1.00 R$5.34
-69.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$368
$41.49 R$222
-52.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.25
$1.10 R$5.87
67.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.94
$0.67 R$3.59
-20.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$98.7
$8.11 R$43.35
-34.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.16
$0.85 R$4.55
77.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$405.5K
$21.4K R$114.7K
1.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$447.1K
$31.2K R$166.7K
-23.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Barretos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,174
$27.55 R$147
128.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$511
$5.49 R$29.38
398.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$665
$15.02 R$80.3
137.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Barretos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,099
$22.80 R$122
158.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$441
$26.27 R$140
-10.01%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$119
$7.39 R$39.52
-13.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Barretos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,045
$412 R$2,201
4.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$212.9K
$10.1K R$54.0K
13.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Barretos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,272
$59.9 R$320
13.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$990
$22.43 R$120
136.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,009
$83.2 R$445
29.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,186
$66.2 R$354
77.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Barretos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.8K
$289 R$1,547
284.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.2K
$228 R$1,220
211.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.2K
$727 R$3,888
255.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.2K
$486 R$2,598
189.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$67.7K
$1,430 R$7,646
153.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$39.8K
$1,019 R$5,449
109.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Barretos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.6K
$518 R$2,770
82.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
10.81
5.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Barretos: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Barretos
$228 67.9% $482
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Barretos
$205 35.9% $115
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Barretos
$111 44% $87
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Barretos
$104 33.1% $52
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Barretos
$48 61.9% $78
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Barretos
$38 47.6% $34
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Barretos
$50 96.2% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $289 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 83% 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 $48 in Mexico City versus $22 in Barretos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $205 – making Barretos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇧🇷 Barretos
🕒 Local time
13:59 1:59 PM
16:59 4:59 PM
3 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
122,485
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5.35 BRL (1 BRL = 0.187 USD). 1 EUR = 5.95 BRL (1 BRL = 0.168 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Barretos 7,080 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Barretos

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 Barretos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Mexico City and in Barretos compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City, $784 in Barretos – Barretos comes out roughly 51% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Barretos?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $1,176 in Barretos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Mexico City and Barretos?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Barretos, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $289 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City and $22 in Barretos. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Mexico City or Barretos?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,608 in Mexico City and $784 in Barretos. That makes Barretos about 51% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Barretos, where all-in costs run around $784, than in Mexico City at $1,608. In Barretos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Mexico City or Barretos?
Families tend to lean toward Barretos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Mexico City and Barretos?
If budget matters most, go with Barretos. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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