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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $2,281 in Best, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $3,234 in Best, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $4,188 in Best, rent included.

Mexico City is about 27% cheaper than Best, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mexico City and Best sit above the global median – Mexico City by 21%, Best by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$23.50 €20.47

-49.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$89.5 €78.0

-42.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$13.32 €11.60

-14.34%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$3.62 €3.15

10.22%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$3.37 €2.93

-50.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$2.66 €2.32

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$5.90 €5.14

-41.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$5.64 €4.91

4.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.24 €1.08

51.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.93 €1.68

68.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$2.45 €2.14

-11.84%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$5.25 €4.57

-44.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$11.59 €10.10

10.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$14.77 €12.87

-31.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$16.39 €14.28

-3.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$2.02 €1.76

62.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.70 €1.48

18.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.71 €1.49

28.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$5.33 €4.64

-55.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.16 €1.01

76.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.17 €1.02

62.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.08 €0.94

49.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.79 €0.68

77.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$11.74 €10.23

-53.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$5.66 €4.94

211.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.55 €1.35

32.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$2.62 €2.28

78.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$2.51 €2.19

-86.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$73.5 €64.1

-71.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$3.51 €3.06

-40.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$2.81 €2.45

-80.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$29.47 €25.67

-80.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$2.41 €2.10

-33.20%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$26.9K €23.4K

-15.06%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$40.1K €34.9K

-33.28%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$194 €169

-66.34%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$15.88 €13.83

89.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$39.22 €34.17

-5.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$39.68 €34.57

50.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$24.30 €21.17

9.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$13.90 €12.11

-49.35%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$1,319 €1,149

-64.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$5,373 €4,681

147.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$52.7 €45.87

44.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$34.10 €29.71

64.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$75.7 €66.0

47.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$59.6 €51.9

102.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$1,536 €1,339

-28.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$1,136 €990

-36.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$2,089 €1,820

21.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$1,389 €1,210

-6.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$5,198 €4,528

-23.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$4,451 €3,878

-53.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$4,128 €3,596

-74.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.54

219.21%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Best: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $1,536 in Best. 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 298% higher in Best, 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 $89.0 in Best. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $318 in Best – so Best 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 Best: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Best is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $3,422 in Best. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,660 in Mexico City and $2,281 in Best. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 253% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,660, than in Best at $2,281. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Best 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, Best makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.