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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $1,123 in Buzias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $1,736 in Buzias, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $2,348 in Buzias, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 29% more than Buzias, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Buzias is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$11.46 RON 51.6

13.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$57.3 RON 258

-8.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$8.24 RON 37.13

17.60%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$3.49 RON 15.70

7.45%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$2.39 RON 10.75

-34.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$2.16 RON 9.71

-46.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$3.18 RON 14.33

1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$4.01 RON 18.08

22.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$1.78 RON 8.00

-4.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$1.31 RON 5.89

103.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$1.81 RON 8.14

4.42%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$3.41 RON 15.34

-26.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$10.01 RON 45.09

0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$6.96 RON 31.36

22.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$11.72 RON 52.8

1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$1.24 RON 5.58

139.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.78 RON 7.99

0.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$1.62 RON 7.29

23.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$2.34 RON 10.52

-16.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.96 RON 4.31

125.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$0.98 RON 4.43

131.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$1.03 RON 4.63

35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.94 RON 4.22

18.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$6.38 RON 28.72

-34.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$8.35 RON 37.63

98.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$1.13 RON 5.07

48.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$1.98 RON 8.90

81.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$0.67 RON 3.01

-41.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$20.09 RON 90.5

-4.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$0.99 RON 4.47

39.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$0.83 RON 3.74

-63.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$9.52 RON 42.89

-43.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$1.63 RON 7.35

-20.86%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$28.1K RON 126.7K

-32.86%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$26.8K RON 120.6K

-11.12%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$159 RON 717

-74.95%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$8.74 RON 39.36

218.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$10.07 RON 45.37

195.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$42.10 RON 190

23.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$18.87 RON 85.0

38.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$8.12 RON 36.55

-22.78%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$493 RON 2,219

-12.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$10.7K RON 48.3K

-1.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$70.5 RON 318

-19.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$39.80 RON 179

13.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$83.9 RON 378

21.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$101 RON 454

7.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$388 RON 1,747

156.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$293 RON 1,319

110.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$582 RON 2,620

258.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$436 RON 1,965

187.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$1,945 RON 8,758

102.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$1,387 RON 6,247

50.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.85

93.85%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Buzias: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $388 in Buzias. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $57.0 in Buzias. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Mexico City vs $233 in Buzias – so Buzias 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 Buzias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 29%, 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 $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $1,685 in Buzias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 5% less in Buzias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Mexico City and $493 in Buzias. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Buzias, where all-in costs run around $1,123, than in Mexico City at $1,448. In Buzias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Buzias – 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 Buzias. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.