Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Braganca

For one person, living is cheaper in Braganca: $1,014 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Braganca, Portugal
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Braganca
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,014
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $1,014 in Braganca.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Braganca $1,014

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $1,532 in Braganca.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Braganca $1,532

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $2,049 in Braganca.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Braganca $2,049

Living in Mexico City is roughly 59% more expensive than in Braganca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 18% above, Braganca is 25% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Braganca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$199
$11.30 €10.12
-6.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$908
$39.85 €35.69
21.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$194
$9.21 €8.24
12.38%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$69.3
$1.43 €1.28
158.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.29
$1.38 €1.24
21.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.76
$1.03 €0.93
23.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.9
$1.10 €0.98
190.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$99.6
$2.29 €2.06
131.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Braganca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.38
$1.06 €0.95
62.26%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$57.1
$1.72 €1.54
76.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.44
$1.51 €1.35
28.48%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$54.2
$3.22 €2.88
-10.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$206
$9.38 €8.40
16.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$174
$6.38 €5.72
44.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$284
$12.09 €10.83
25.14%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$57.2
$2.36 €2.12
29.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.45
$1.36 €1.22
42.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.02
$1.82 €1.63
11.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.46
$2.66 €2.38
-13.16%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$38.21
$1.98 €1.77
3.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.79
$1.95 €1.74
-7.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.77
$1.35 €1.21
9.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.80
$0.91 €0.81
39.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$99.6
$5.77 €5.17
-8.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$302
$4.42 €3.96
264.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$37.23
$1.16 €1.04
70.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.8
$1.57 €1.41
170.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Braganca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.73
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$371
$11.33 €10.14
74.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.50
$3.91 €3.50
-52.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$10.02
$1.13 €1.01
-53.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$99.4
$16.23 €14.53
-67.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.36
$2.17 €1.94
-30.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$408.4K
$33.7K €30.2K
-35.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$450.3K
$37.5K €33.6K
-35.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Braganca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,182
$104 €93.0
-39.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$514
$16.79 €15.04
63.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$670
$34.87 €31.23
2.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Braganca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,107
$33.95 €30.40
73.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$444
$5.65 €5.06
318.41%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$120
$5.50 €4.92
16.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Braganca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,103
$307 €275
40.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$214.5K
$9,170 €8,213
24.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Braganca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,281
$22.69 €20.32
200.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$997
$22.62 €20.26
134.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,023
$67.5 €60.4
59.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,202
$98.7 €88.4
18.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Braganca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.9K
$400 €358
178.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.3K
$315 €282
125.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.6K
$735 €658
252.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.4K
$474 €424
196.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$68.2K
$1,064 €953
241.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$40.1K
$853 €764
150.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Braganca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.8K
$1,160 €1,039
-18.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
3.47
227.09%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Braganca: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Braganca
$315 55.6% $395
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Braganca
$228 28.8% $92
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Braganca
$155 22% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Braganca
$95 38.9% $61
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Braganca
$155 23.3% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Braganca
$45 37.4% $27
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Braganca
$21 * 17.9% $4.6

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $400 in Braganca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Braganca pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48 in Mexico City vs $40 in Braganca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $228 per month, with Braganca cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇵🇹 Braganca
🕒 Local time
19:37 7:37 PM
01:37 1:37 AM
6 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
34,589
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Braganca 8,770 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Braganca

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 Braganca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Braganca?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,608 in Mexico City and $1,014 in Braganca, so Braganca is about 37% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 18% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Braganca?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $400 in Braganca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in Braganca?
A monthly transit pass in Braganca runs roughly 43% less than in Mexico City. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Braganca?
Childcare runs $432 in Mexico City versus $307 in Braganca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How far does $2,000 go in Mexico City compared to Braganca?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Braganca gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Braganca?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Braganca?
Expats usually find Braganca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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