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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,051 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,530 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $2,009 in Calafat, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 58% more than Calafat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Calafat is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$7.85 RON 35.96

51.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$37.73 RON 173

36.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.61 RON 34.86

49.93%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$2.15 RON 9.85

85.58%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$1.59 RON 7.29

4.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.93 RON 4.26

43.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.08 RON 4.94

221.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.03 RON 9.28

190.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$1.20 RON 5.51

56.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$0.80 RON 3.66

306.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.41 RON 6.47

53.19%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$2.43 RON 11.13

19.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$7.14 RON 32.70

80.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$6.81 RON 31.21

47.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$6.47 RON 29.63

145.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$1.03 RON 4.71

219.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.57 RON 7.19

28.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.35 RON 6.18

62.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.58 RON 7.23

49.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$0.65 RON 2.96

215.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$0.79 RON 3.64

140.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.78 RON 3.60

106.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.74 RON 3.41

89.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$5.65 RON 25.89

-3.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$6.79 RON 31.12

159.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$0.93 RON 4.28

121.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$1.56 RON 7.12

200.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.79 RON 3.60

-56.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$22.67 RON 104

-8.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.58 RON 2.64

262.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.53 RON 2.43

5.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$6.74 RON 30.86

-13.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.58 RON 7.23

1.90%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$27.3K RON 125.0K

-16.27%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$27.2K RON 124.4K

-1.51%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$204 RON 935

-68.07%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$7.64 RON 35.01

293.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$6.66 RON 30.50

458.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$40.90 RON 187

46.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$21.36 RON 97.8

24.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$7.62 RON 34.93

-7.61%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$438 RON 2,007

6.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$8,568 RON 39.2K

54.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$59.0 RON 270

28.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$44.26 RON 203

26.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$82.2 RON 377

36.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$88.7 RON 406

35.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$409 RON 1,874

169.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$302 RON 1,385

138.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$636 RON 2,913

297.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$474 RON 2,172

172.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$1,939 RON 8,882

105.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,406 RON 6,440

48.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$849 RON 3,891

22.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

88.33%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Calafat: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $409 in Calafat. 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 22% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $38.00 in Calafat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $175 – making Calafat 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 Calafat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City, $1,051 in Calafat – roughly 58% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,577 in Calafat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calafat, 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 $1,660 in Mexico City and $1,051 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Calafat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calafat, where all-in costs run around $1,051, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Calafat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,051 in Calafat to $1,660 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Calafat. 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.