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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $984 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,489 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,995 in Calarasi, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 50% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Calarasi is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$228

$10.05 RON 45.74

30.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$928

$28.17 RON 128

90.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$162

$7.61 RON 34.64

22.60%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.2

$2.56 RON 11.64

44.53%

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

$1.60 MX$27.82

$1.53 RON 6.98

4.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.39

$1.82 RON 8.31

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$2.32 RON 10.54

35.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.1

$3.40 RON 15.49

42.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.41 RON 6.43

17.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.07

$1.05 RON 4.78

158.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.10

$1.76 RON 7.99

8.52%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.92

$3.35 RON 15.24

-22.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$8.64 RON 39.33

13.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$6.96 RON 31.66

21.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$207

$8.93 RON 40.63

33.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.2

$1.21 RON 5.50

143.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.18

$1.48 RON 6.74

17.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.46

$1.28 RON 5.80

59.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.73

$1.98 RON 9.01

4.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.28

$0.76 RON 3.45

182.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.11

$0.89 RON 4.06

153.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.03

$0.76 RON 3.44

82.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.36

$0.85 RON 3.87

31.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.2

$5.69 RON 25.89

-25.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$304

$4.39 RON 20.00

298.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.65

$0.96 RON 4.36

78.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.0

$1.41 RON 6.42

157.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.12

$0.44 RON 2.02

-20.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$335

$13.55 RON 61.7

42.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.86

$0.67 RON 3.04

105.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.60 RON 2.74

-53.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.5

$5.89 RON 26.80

-10.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.55

$1.59 RON 7.24

-14.47%

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

$19.1K MX$331.3K

$25.3K RON 115.3K

-24.61%

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

$23.6K MX$409.4K

$26.9K RON 122.4K

-12.24%

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

$40.53 MX$703

$146 RON 664

-72.21%

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

$27.38 MX$475

$8.55 RON 38.93

220.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$527

$7.26 RON 33.05

318.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$906

$68.6 RON 312

-23.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$459

$18.86 RON 85.9

40.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$6.14 RON 27.93

0.81%

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

$425 MX$7,372

$425 RON 1,935

-0.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.2K

$6,986 RON 31.8K

53.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,011

$82.5 RON 376

-29.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$773

$42.94 RON 195

3.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,795

$75.4 RON 343

37.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,886

$99.0 RON 451

9.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.6K

$383 RON 1,742

164.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$228 RON 1,038

172.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.8K

$581 RON 2,645

264.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$374 RON 1,704

226.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.8K

$1,244 RON 5,660

204.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.6K

$970 RON 4,413

117.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$741 RON 3,370

42.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.62

71.30%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $383 in Calarasi. 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 42% 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 $28.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $196 – 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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City, $984 in Calarasi – roughly 50% 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 $1,476 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calarasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $425 per month in Mexico City and $425 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $984, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In Calarasi 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 $984 in Calarasi 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 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.