Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Busto Arsizio Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Busto Arsizio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,974 in Busto Arsizio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $2,901 in Busto Arsizio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $3,829 in Busto Arsizio.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 26% less than in Busto Arsizio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Busto Arsizio 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$19.03 €16.65

-31.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$81.4 €71.2

-33.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$11.44 €10.01

-15.38%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.94 €1.70

92.78%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$3.55 €3.10

-54.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$1.30 €1.14

-10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$6.26 €5.47

-48.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$5.39 €4.72

-12.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.60 €1.40

3.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$2.45 €2.14

12.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$3.86 €3.38

-51.55%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$4.08 €3.57

-38.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$15.57 €13.62

-34.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$13.36 €11.69

-38.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$25.59 €22.39

-53.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.89 €1.66

59.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$2.35 €2.05

-22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$2.57 €2.25

-22.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$3.63 €3.18

-44.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$2.00 €1.75

4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.73 €1.51

31.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.41 €1.24

3.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.56 €0.49

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$7.38 €6.45

-41.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$5.00 €4.38

239.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$2.09 €1.83

-17.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.72 €2.38

31.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$1.78 €1.56

-78.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$43.04 €37.66

-56.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$4.11 €3.59

-67.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$2.10 €1.84

-86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$47.15 €41.25

-88.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$2.09 €1.83

-35.89%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$33.2K €29.0K

-41.49%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$37.4K €32.7K

-36.28%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$251 €220

-83.81%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$13.37 €11.70

100.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$30.08 €26.32

1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$34.08 €29.82

54.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$22.85 €19.99

16.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$12.36 €10.82

-47.33%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$548 €479

-21.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$4,672 €4,087

124.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$88.8 €77.7

-35.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$38.16 €33.38

19.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$115 €101

-9.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$139 €122

-22.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$1,352 €1,183

-25.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$746 €652

-16.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$2,000 €1,750

5.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$1,114 €974

9.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$2,611 €2,284

48.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$1,571 €1,375

29.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$2,193 €1,919

-52.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.68

142.31%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Busto Arsizio: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $1,352 in Busto Arsizio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busto Arsizio pays 111% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $81.0 in Busto Arsizio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $362 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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 Busto Arsizio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Busto Arsizio differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,974 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 111% lower in Busto Arsizio. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $1,352 in Busto Arsizio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $81.0 in Busto Arsizio. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $1,974 in Busto Arsizio – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,974 in Busto Arsizio, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Busto Arsizio. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Busto Arsizio 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Busto Arsizio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.