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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $294 in Bolands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $294 in Bolands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $295 in Bolands.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 392% more expensive than Bolands, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Bolands is 78% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

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

$39.86 MX$686

$223 EC$603

-82.14%

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

$27.83 MX$479

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$74.0 EC$200

-59.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

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

$433 MX$7,443

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Bolands: June 16, 2026

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 Bolands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bolands is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 392% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,173 in Mexico City and $442 in Bolands to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

At $294 in Bolands versus $1,448 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bolands but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bolands the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bolands is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Bolands are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bolands gentler on the wallet – expenses run 392% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.