😐A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $1,475 in Cadca, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $2,045 in Cadca, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $2,616 in Cadca, rent included.
😐Mexico City costs about 14% more than Cadca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Mexico City and Cadca sit above the global median – Mexico City by 22%, Cadca by 7%.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Cadca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.14MX$206
$9.68€8.34
25.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.9MX$915
$35.26€30.39
52.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.09MX$188
$10.29€8.87
7.77%
Cappuccino
$4.10MX$69.6
$3.22€2.78
27.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68MX$28.55
$2.34€2.02
-28.21%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39MX$23.56
$2.07€1.78
-32.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.33MX$56.5
$2.42€2.08
37.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88MX$99.8
$2.55€2.20
130.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Cadca
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.85MX$31.42
$1.05€0.91
76.19%
White Bread(500g)
$3.17MX$53.8
$1.55€1.34
104.52%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.07MX$35.14
$2.03€1.75
1.97%
Eggs
$2.93MX$49.69
$3.66€3.15
-19.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.59MX$214
$10.63€9.16
18.44%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.11MX$172
$8.86€7.64
14.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.09MX$273
$11.47€9.89
40.28%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39MX$57.5
$2.04€1.75
66.18%
Banana(1kg)
$2.08MX$35.27
$2.07€1.79
0.48%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.12MX$35.99
$2.73€2.36
-22.34%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.41MX$40.97
$2.76€2.38
-12.68%
Potato(1kg)
$2.13MX$36.13
$1.34€1.15
58.96%
Onion(1kg)
$2.01MX$34.03
$1.78€1.53
12.92%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55MX$26.23
$1.77€1.53
-12.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.36MX$23.16
$0.85€0.73
60.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.77MX$97.9
$6.77€5.83
-14.77%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.74MX$301
$3.42€2.95
418.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07MX$35.13
$1.85€1.59
11.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$78.3
$1.77€1.52
160.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Cadca
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.37MX$6.21
$1.15€0.99
-67.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$21.18MX$359
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.05MX$34.86
$4.02€3.47
-49.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58MX$9.79
$0.43€0.37
34.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.07MX$103
$14.21€12.25
-57.28%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.55MX$26.35
$1.76€1.51
-11.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.9KMX$388.2K
$27.2K€23.4K
-15.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2KMX$462.2K
$23.1K€19.9K
17.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Cadca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$67.4MX$1,144
$236€204
-71.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.62MX$520
$20.11€17.34
52.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.24MX$632
$21.89€18.86
70.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Cadca
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5MX$1,043
$42.34€36.49
45.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.12MX$460
$17.35€14.96
56.31%
Cinema Ticket
$7.11MX$121
$9.46€8.15
-24.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Cadca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$456MX$7,743
$379€326
20.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.7KMX$232.4K
$7,500€6,464
82.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Cadca
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.2MX$1,259
$60.9€52.5
21.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.0MX$968
$32.23€27.78
76.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115MX$1,959
$81.3€70.1
41.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122MX$2,062
$101€87.1
20.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Cadca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,148MX$19.5K
$646€557
77.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$709MX$12.0K
$587€506
20.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,577MX$43.7K
$1,076€928
139.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,295MX$22.0K
$744€641
74.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,005MX$68.0K
$3,494€3,012
14.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,130MX$36.1K
$2,887€2,489
-26.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Cadca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,082MX$18.4K
$878€757
23.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.3
3.57
216.53%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026
Last update for Cadca: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $646 in Cadca. 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 23% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $35.00 in Cadca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $251 – making Cadca 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 Cadca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mexico City or Cadca?
Mexico City costs about 14% more than Cadca, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mexico City and in Cadca?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $2,212 in Cadca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Mexico City or Cadca?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cadca, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Mexico City compared to Cadca?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,677 in Mexico City and $1,475 in Cadca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How do childcare costs compare in Mexico City and in Cadca?
Kindergarten costs $456 per month in Mexico City and $379 in Cadca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Mexico City or in Cadca?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cadca, where all-in costs run around $1,475, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In Cadca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mexico City or Cadca?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cadca costs $1,475 versus $1,677 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Mexico City or to Cadca?
If budget matters most, go with Cadca. 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.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared