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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $1,006 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,518 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $2,030 in Calarasi, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 48% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Calarasi is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$10.06 RON 43.84

29.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$27.69 RON 121

91.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$7.65 RON 33.34

27.06%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.68 RON 11.69

39.93%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$1.48 RON 6.46

6.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$1.87 RON 8.15

-39.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.23 RON 9.74

42.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$3.38 RON 14.75

37.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.42 RON 6.18

14.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.10 RON 4.79

146.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.76 RON 7.68

6.82%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$3.29 RON 14.34

-23.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$8.95 RON 39.01

12.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.10 RON 30.95

16.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$9.08 RON 39.60

31.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.16 RON 5.08

146.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.48 RON 6.46

18.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.33 RON 5.82

56.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.88 RON 8.22

4.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.75 RON 3.27

188.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.88 RON 3.86

147.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.71 RON 3.08

95.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.85 RON 3.70

31.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$5.63 RON 24.56

-25.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$4.49 RON 19.56

217.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$0.99 RON 4.30

77.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.36 RON 5.93

170.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.48 RON 2.07

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$14.08 RON 61.4

32.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.67 RON 2.91

107.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.62 RON 2.69

-51.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$5.79 RON 25.23

-6.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.59 RON 6.92

-15.09%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$24.9K RON 108.6K

-24.17%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$26.8K RON 116.9K

-13.64%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$149 RON 649

-72.59%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$8.35 RON 36.41

229.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$7.52 RON 32.77

303.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$69.7 RON 304

-23.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$19.43 RON 84.7

35.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$5.85 RON 25.50

7.18%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$432 RON 1,883

0.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$6,852 RON 29.9K

52.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$84.0 RON 366

-32.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$42.91 RON 187

4.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$73.6 RON 321

39.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$97.5 RON 425

10.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$389 RON 1,696

156.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$229 RON 1,000

170.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$581 RON 2,533

267.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$370 RON 1,612

234.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,261 RON 5,496

206.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,013 RON 4,418

130.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$779 RON 3,394

37.08%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $389 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 37% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $28.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $198 – 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: $1,484 in Mexico City, $1,006 in Calarasi – roughly 48% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,509 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 $436 per month in Mexico City and $432 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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 $1,006, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $1,006 in Calarasi to $1,484 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.