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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $687 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,079 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,470 in Calarasi, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 111% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Calarasi is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$8.69 MDL 150

49.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$36.05 MDL 623

45.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.53 MDL 130

25.23%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.89 MDL 32.65

88.89%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.90 MDL 15.59

78.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.65 MDL 11.15

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.77 MDL 30.56

77.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.40 MDL 41.52

102.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.24 MDL 21.44

37.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.56 MDL 9.62

371.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.51 MDL 26.01

25.83%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.48 MDL 42.89

2.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$10.48 MDL 181

-3.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.54 MDL 95.7

49.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$8.82 MDL 152

31.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$0.91 MDL 15.69

232.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.83 MDL 31.63

-6.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.70 MDL 29.35

20.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$2.15 MDL 37.19

-4.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.81 MDL 14.07

154.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.58 MDL 10.06

274.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.30 MDL 22.44

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.87 MDL 15.09

28.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.31 MDL 57.1

29.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.28 MDL 22.04

30.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.01 MDL 34.65

83.58%

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

$1.99 MDL 34.43

-30.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.27 MDL 4.67

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$5.11 MDL 88.3

6.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.36 MDL 23.56

-5.88%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$32.3K MDL 558.2K

-41.27%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$31.4K MDL 542.2K

-25.27%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$169 MDL 2,919

-75.73%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$7.73 MDL 134

248.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$10.87 MDL 188

173.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.52 MDL 130

-17.82%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$392 MDL 6,771

8.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,618 MDL 131.6K

40.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$66.5 MDL 1,149

-14.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$54.6 MDL 942

-17.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$111 MDL 1,910

-5.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$124 MDL 2,149

-14.84%

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

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 Calarasi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $36.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $182 – making Calarasi 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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 111%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,031 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,447 in Mexico City and $687 in Calarasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Mexico City and $392 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calarasi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Calarasi. 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.