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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $1,039 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,539 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $2,038 in Calafat, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 42% more than Calafat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Calafat is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$9.15 RON 41.62

43.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$42.16 RON 192

26.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.86 RON 35.73

18.70%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.35 RON 10.70

57.45%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.88 RON 4.00

81.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.89 RON 4.05

25.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.12 RON 5.09

180.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.08 RON 9.46

133.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.30 RON 5.89

26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.84 RON 3.81

222.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.49 RON 6.76

28.19%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.50 RON 11.35

3.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$7.60 RON 34.57

29.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$6.75 RON 30.68

24.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$7.03 RON 31.94

69.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.13 RON 5.16

161.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.59 RON 7.22

9.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.42 RON 6.44

43.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.58 RON 7.17

30.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.66 RON 3.00

225.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.83 RON 3.77

172.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.84 RON 3.83

65.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.73 RON 3.34

53.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$5.92 RON 26.94

-28.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$6.55 RON 29.77

167.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$0.96 RON 4.36

78.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.13 RON 9.69

70.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.67 RON 3.04

-47.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$19.92 RON 90.6

-3.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.60 RON 2.71

130.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.50 RON 2.26

-44.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$7.00 RON 31.81

-24.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.57 RON 7.12

-13.38%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$28.4K RON 129.0K

-32.70%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$27.6K RON 125.7K

-14.61%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$206 RON 938

-80.35%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$8.14 RON 37.00

236.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$6.99 RON 31.77

334.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$41.99 RON 191

24.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$19.47 RON 88.5

36.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$6.42 RON 29.21

-3.58%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$432 RON 1,962

-1.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$8,832 RON 40.2K

21.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$78.0 RON 354

-25.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$37.32 RON 170

19.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$79.5 RON 362

30.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$85.7 RON 390

26.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$393 RON 1,786

158.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$296 RON 1,346

110.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$595 RON 2,705

256.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$434 RON 1,974

181.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,762 RON 8,009

115.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,245 RON 5,662

69.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$819 RON 3,724

28.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

89.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Calafat: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $393 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 28% 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 $42.00 in Calafat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $182 – 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: $1,472 in Mexico City, $1,039 in Calafat – roughly 42% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,559 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 $1,472 in Mexico City and $1,039 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% 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 $1,039, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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 $1,039 in Calafat to $1,472 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.