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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $687 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,083 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,480 in Cahul.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 111% more expensive than Cahul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Cahul is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$8.83 MDL 152

47.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$37.13 MDL 641

41.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.49 MDL 129

25.90%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.80 MDL 31.11

98.33%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.96 MDL 16.65

67.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.69 MDL 11.98

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.73 MDL 29.88

82.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.31 MDL 39.89

110.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.27 MDL 21.96

33.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.56 MDL 9.63

371.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.49 MDL 25.75

27.52%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.49 MDL 42.93

2.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$10.29 MDL 178

-2.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.34 MDL 92.2

55.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$8.69 MDL 150

33.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$0.83 MDL 14.29

265.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.80 MDL 31.09

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.78 MDL 30.69

15.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$2.06 MDL 35.58

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.82 MDL 14.09

151.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.58 MDL 10.08

274.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.36 MDL 23.47

2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.84 MDL 14.55

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.29 MDL 56.8

30.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$4.51 MDL 77.9

241.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.22 MDL 21.11

36.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.93 MDL 33.35

91.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.01 MDL 34.72

-31.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.27 MDL 4.70

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$5.30 MDL 91.5

2.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.41 MDL 24.40

-9.22%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$31.6K MDL 546.2K

-39.99%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$31.2K MDL 538.8K

-24.80%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$169 MDL 2,918

-75.73%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$7.50 MDL 130

258.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$10.66 MDL 184

178.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.79 MDL 135

-20.67%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$396 MDL 6,833

7.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,663 MDL 132.3K

39.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$66.5 MDL 1,148

-14.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$54.0 MDL 932

-16.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$114 MDL 1,972

-8.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$120 MDL 2,081

-12.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$518 MDL 8,941

113.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.24

22.73%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cahul: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 114% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $37.00 in Cahul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $188 per month, with Cahul 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 Cahul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 111% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Mexico City pays 114% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $687 in Cahul – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $687 in Cahul versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $687 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Cahul 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 Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 111% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.