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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,849 in Benidorm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $2,726 in Benidorm, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $3,604 in Benidorm, rent included.

Mexico City is about 10% cheaper than Benidorm, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Benidorm sit above the global median – Mexico City by 21%, Benidorm by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$17.89 €15.60

-33.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$52.1 €45.44

-1.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$12.88 €11.23

-11.41%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.31 €2.01

72.73%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$2.38 €2.07

-30.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.21 €1.06

9.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$3.56 €3.10

-2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.65 €3.18

61.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.13 €0.99

66.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.38 €1.21

135.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.51 €1.32

43.05%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$3.39 €2.96

-14.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$11.38 €9.92

13.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$7.80 €6.80

28.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$16.49 €14.38

-3.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.19 €1.90

50.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.89 €1.64

6.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.83 €1.59

20.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$2.65 €2.31

-10.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.70 €1.48

20.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.83 €1.59

3.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.07 €0.93

50.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.44 €0.39

218.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$6.26 €5.46

-12.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$5.27 €4.59

234.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.35 €1.18

52.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.51 €1.31

209.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$1.96 €1.71

-82.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$40.16 €35.00

-48.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$4.69 €4.09

-55.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.33 €1.16

-57.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$24.90 €21.70

-76.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.77 €1.54

-9.04%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$35.7K €31.1K

-35.98%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$30.5K €26.6K

-12.36%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$159 €138

-58.95%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$16.95 €14.78

77.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$33.83 €29.49

9.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$52.3 €45.56

14.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$39.94 €34.81

-33.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$10.88 €9.48

-35.29%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$408 €355

13.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$9,097 €7,930

45.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$95.6 €83.3

-20.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$28.50 €24.84

96.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$68.9 €60.1

62.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$105 €91.8

14.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$1,045 €911

5.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$862 €751

-16.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,805 €1,573

40.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$1,393 €1,215

-7.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$5,301 €4,621

-24.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$2,820 €2,458

-25.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,782 €1,554

-41.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.3

242.42%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Benidorm: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $1,045 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 72% higher in Benidorm, 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $52.0 in Benidorm. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $249 in Benidorm – so Benidorm wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Yes – Benidorm is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $2,773 in Benidorm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Mexico City and $408 in Benidorm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 39% cheaper in Benidorm – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,660, than in Benidorm at $1,849. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Benidorm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Benidorm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.