Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Caen

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $1,671 in Caen, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Caen
🇫🇷 France
$1,671
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $1,671 in Caen.

  • Mexico City $1,548
  • Caen $1,671

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $2,568 in Caen.

  • Mexico City $2,436
  • Caen $2,568

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $3,466 in Caen.

  • Mexico City $3,323
  • Caen $3,466

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 7% less than in Caen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 14% above, Caen 23% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Caen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 MX$204
$16.56 €14.73
-33.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 MX$900
$55.2 €49.11
-11.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 MX$201
$13.50 €12.01
-19.26%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.1
$2.84 €2.53
29.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.18
$3.05 €2.71
-46.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MX$23.07
$2.05 €1.82
-39.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$60.1
$8.38 €7.46
-61.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 MX$102
$5.49 €4.88
0.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Caen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.50
$1.35 €1.20
25.93%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$1.78 €1.59
69.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.53
$1.98 €1.76
-3.03%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$50.5
$3.81 €3.39
-28.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 MX$218
$9.96 €8.86
18.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 MX$176
$11.74 €10.44
-18.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 MX$266
$16.28 €14.48
-11.49%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$3.10 €2.76
-2.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.01
$3.01 €2.68
-37.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.70
$1.51 €1.34
31.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.38
$4.17 €3.71
-47.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.43
$1.80 €1.60
6.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.49
$1.97 €1.76
-5.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.62
$1.65 €1.47
-12.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.39
$0.15 €0.13
746.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 MX$96.4
$13.15 €11.70
-60.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.17 MX$299
$5.59 €4.98
189.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 MX$35.03
$1.48 €1.32
28.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 MX$78.0
$1.65 €1.47
155.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Caen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.30
$1.78 €1.58
-80.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.65 MX$363
$49.59 €44.11
-60.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$36.90
$2.25 €2.00
-11.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 MX$9.67
$1.12 €0.99
-53.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 MX$98.7
$32.41 €28.83
-83.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.13
$2.10 €1.86
-27.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K MX$408.0K
$34.3K €30.5K
-35.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$452.9K
$36.4K €32.4K
-32.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Caen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,129
$138 €123
-55.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.58 MX$528
$32.70 €29.08
-12.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.47 MX$637
$31.85 €28.33
8.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Caen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,042
$31.94 €28.41
76.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.88 MX$460
$22.48 €20.00
10.68%
Cinema Ticket
$6.66 MX$123
$10.13 €9.01
-34.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Caen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,891
$879 €782
-51.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$215.0K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Caen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 MX$1,253
$108 €96.3
-37.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.0 MX$960
$38.80 €34.52
33.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 MX$1,959
$101 €89.8
5.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MX$2,080
$151 €135
-25.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Caen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 MX$18.9K
$760 €676
34.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 MX$12.1K
$600 €534
9.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 MX$42.7K
$1,566 €1,393
47.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 MX$22.9K
$1,042 €927
19.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,613 MX$66.8K
$4,496 €3,999
-19.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,936 MX$35.8K
$2,553 €2,270
-24.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Caen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$964 MX$17.8K
$2,379 €2,116
-59.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
3.79
198.15%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Caen: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$654
Caen
$600 8.3% $54
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$318
Caen
$292 8.2% $26
Eating Out
Mexico City
$204
Caen
$280 37.5% $77
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$152
Caen
$180 18% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$124
Caen
$203 63.3% $79
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Caen
$52 25.1% $17
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Caen
$65 152% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,025 in Mexico City and $760 in Caen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Caen pays 147% 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: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $55.0 in Caen. Groceries flip the comparison at $318 vs $292, with Caen cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇫🇷 Caen
🕒 Local time
02:09 2:09 AM
10:09 10:09 AM
8 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
108,200
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Caen 9,000 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Caen

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 Caen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Caen?
Mexico City and Caen differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,548 vs $1,671 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 147% lower in Caen. 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 Caen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,025 in Mexico City versus $760 in Caen. 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 Caen?
A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 152% less than in Caen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Caen?
Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $879 in Caen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,548 in Mexico City versus $1,671 in Caen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Caen. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Caen?
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.
Is Mexico City or Caen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Caen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Caen?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Caen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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