Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Barrigada

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,608 a month against $2,681 in Barrigada, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barrigada outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Barrigada

🇬🇺 Guam

$2,681

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $2,681 in Barrigada.

Mexico City $1,608
Barrigada $2,681

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $3,466 in Barrigada.

Mexico City $2,549
Barrigada $3,466

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $4,252 in Barrigada.

Mexico City $3,490
Barrigada $4,252

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 40% less than in Barrigada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 18% above, Barrigada 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 MX$198

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.35 MX$901

$102 $102

-52.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 MX$193

Cappuccino

$3.69 MX$68.8

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

$1.67 MX$31.07

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.59

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MX$98.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$32.15

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 MX$56.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.19

Eggs

$2.89 MX$53.8

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 MX$205

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 MX$172

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 MX$282

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MX$56.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.19

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.75

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$43.15

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$37.94

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MX$33.55

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.58

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 MX$98.9

$6.84 $6.84

-22.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 MX$300

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$36.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$79.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 MX$368

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MX$34.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$98.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$28.16

$1.45 $1.45

4.14%

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

$21.8K MX$405.5K

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

$24.0K MX$447.1K

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

$63.0 MX$1,174

$409 $409

-84.58%

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

$27.39 MX$511

$98.5 $98.5

-72.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 MX$665

$81.2 $81.2

-56.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 MX$1,099

$80.1 $80.1

-26.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.64 MX$441

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$119

$12.89 $12.89

-50.35%

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

$432 MX$8,045

$707 $707

-38.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$212.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 MX$1,272

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MX$990

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$2,009

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,186

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 MX$20.8K

$2,385 $2,385

-53.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MX$13.2K

$1,986 $1,986

-64.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 MX$48.2K

$3,156 $3,156

-18.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 MX$26.2K

$2,845 $2,845

-50.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,631 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,135 MX$39.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$17.6K

$4,731 $4,731

-80.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Barrigada: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$710 44.2%

Barrigada

–

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$320 19.9%

Barrigada

–

Eating Out

Mexico City

$199 12.4%

Barrigada

–

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$156 9.7%

Barrigada

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 7.8%

Barrigada

–

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$72 4.5%

Barrigada

–

Getting Around

Mexico City

$25 1.6%

Barrigada

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $2,385 in Barrigada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays about 5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $48 in Mexico City vs $102 in Barrigada for two.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇬🇺 Barrigada

🕒 Local time

10:06 10:06 AM

02:06 2:06 AM

16 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

8,875

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

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).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

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Between locations

Mexico City Barrigada 12,120 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Barrigada

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 Barrigada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in utilities and leisure. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 80% lower in Mexico City. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $2,385 in Barrigada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $48 versus $102 in Barrigada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $432 in Mexico City versus $707 in Barrigada. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Mexico City gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Mexico City wins on affordability, Barrigada on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.