Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cabo Frio Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cabo Frio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $825 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,305 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,784 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 80% more than Cabo Frio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Cabo Frio is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$7.28 R$36.34

78.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$28.95 R$144

83.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$6.11 R$30.51

59.08%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.95 R$9.73

92.31%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$1.32 R$6.57

18.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.57 R$2.83

98.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.82 R$9.10

74.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.78 R$13.88

67.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.13 R$5.62

43.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.76 R$8.79

53.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.42 R$7.10

32.39%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.96 R$9.80

28.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$7.79 R$38.87

29.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.63 R$18.11

128.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$7.91 R$39.48

50.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.30 R$11.45

24.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.63 R$8.12

7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.51 R$7.55

37.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.56 R$7.79

26.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.29 R$6.43

67.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.16 R$5.80

87.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.68 R$3.40

104.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.56 R$2.81

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$1.96 R$9.77

114.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$7.98 R$39.81

78.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.21 R$6.04

45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.05 R$10.23

79.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.13 R$5.63

-65.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$38.22 R$191

-51.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.12 R$5.59

24.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.69 R$3.45

-56.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$7.39 R$36.88

-26.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.12 R$5.56

20.54%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$20.2K R$101.0K

-6.71%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$27.1K R$135.4K

-14.66%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$101 R$505

-59.66%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$12.15 R$60.6

126.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$18.81 R$93.9

61.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$22.65 R$113

135.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$21.66 R$108

21.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$6.62 R$33.04

-5.29%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$546 R$2,727

-20.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$11.6K R$57.8K

-9.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$44.47 R$222

27.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$40.94 R$204

9.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$76.9 R$383

33.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$62.0 R$310

73.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$318 R$1,588

214.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$220 R$1,096

182.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$583 R$2,907

266.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$421 R$2,103

193.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$280 R$1,398

280.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.33

0.09%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cabo Frio: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $318 in Cabo Frio. 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 281% higher in Mexico City, 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $29.00 in Cabo Frio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $185 – making Cabo Frio the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cabo Frio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 80%, 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,238 in Cabo Frio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabo Frio, 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 $1,484 in Mexico City and $825 in Cabo Frio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 105% less in Cabo Frio. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cabo Frio, where all-in costs run around $825, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Cabo Frio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cabo Frio – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cabo Frio. 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.