Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Benidorm

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,608 a month against $1,707 in Benidorm, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Benidorm outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Mexico City, Mexico
Benidorm, Spain
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Benidorm
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,707
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,707 in Benidorm, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Benidorm $1,707

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $2,498 in Benidorm, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Benidorm $2,498

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $3,290 in Benidorm, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Benidorm $3,290

Mexico City is about 6% cheaper than Benidorm, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mexico City and Benidorm sit above the global median – Mexico City by 18%, Benidorm by 25%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Benidorm
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$200
$17.28 €15.49
-38.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$909
$52.9 €47.44
-8.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$194
$12.28 €11.00
-15.72%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$69.4
$2.32 €2.08
59.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.32
$2.29 €2.05
-27.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.78
$1.18 €1.06
7.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$60.0
$3.41 €3.06
-6.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$99.7
$3.67 €3.29
44.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Benidorm
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.41
$1.14 €1.02
50.88%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$57.1
$1.30 €1.16
133.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.48
$1.41 €1.26
37.59%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$54.3
$3.50 €3.14
-17.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$206
$10.98 €9.84
-0.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$174
$8.10 €7.26
14.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$284
$15.68 €14.05
-3.51%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$57.3
$2.10 €1.88
45.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.48
$1.83 €1.64
6.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.06
$1.92 €1.72
5.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.50
$2.66 €2.38
-13.16%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$38.25
$1.72 €1.54
18.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.83
$1.77 €1.59
1.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.80
$1.10 €0.99
34.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.82
$0.44 €0.39
188.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$99.7
$5.96 €5.34
-11.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$303
$5.73 €5.13
180.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$37.27
$0.87 €0.78
127.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.9
$0.94 €0.84
352.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Benidorm
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.73
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$371
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.53
$4.50 €4.03
-59.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$10.03
$1.35 €1.21
-60.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$99.5
$24.26 €21.74
-78.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.39
$1.72 €1.54
-12.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$408.8K
$34.2K €30.6K
-36.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$450.8K
$29.3K €26.3K
-18.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Benidorm
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,184
$157 €141
-59.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$515
$16.38 €14.67
67.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$670
$22.55 €20.21
58.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Benidorm
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,108
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$444
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$120
$10.78 €9.66
-40.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Benidorm
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,111
$575 €515
-24.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$214.7K
$9,688 €8,682
17.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Benidorm
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,282
$91.2 €81.7
-25.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$999
$42.40 €37.99
25.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,026
$96.1 €86.2
12.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,204
$119 €106
-1.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Benidorm
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.9K
$1,002 €898
11.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.4K
$838 €751
-15.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.6K
$1,766 €1,582
46.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.4K
$1,324 €1,186
6.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$68.2K
$5,197 €4,657
-30.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$40.1K
$2,542 €2,278
-16.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Benidorm
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.8K
$1,785 €1,599
-46.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
3.3
243.94%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Benidorm: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Benidorm
$838 17.9% $127
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Benidorm
$243 24% $77
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Benidorm
$241 21.4% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Benidorm
$157 0.5% $0.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Benidorm
$196 55.6% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Benidorm
$22 * 69.9% $50
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Benidorm
$11 * 55.9% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $1,002 in Benidorm. 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 89% higher in Benidorm. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City versus $53 in Benidorm. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Mexico City vs $243 in Benidorm – so Benidorm wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇪🇸 Benidorm
🕒 Local time
23:43 11:43 PM
06:43 6:43 AM
7 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
72,342
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Benidorm 9,420 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Benidorm

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 Benidorm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Benidorm?
Yes – Benidorm is pricier by about 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $2,561 in Benidorm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Benidorm, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,002 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.
What are total monthly expenses in Mexico City and in Benidorm?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,608 in Mexico City and $1,707 in Benidorm. That makes Mexico City about 6% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Mexico City and $575 in Benidorm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $3,000 enough for either Mexico City or Benidorm?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,608 in Mexico City and $1,707 in Benidorm, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Mexico City or in Benidorm?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,608 in Mexico City to $1,707 in Benidorm. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Benidorm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?