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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,365 in Cancun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $2,243 in Cancun, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $3,121 in Cancun, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 7% more than Cancun, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mexico City and Cancun sit above the global median – Mexico City by 10%, Cancun by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$13.37 MX$231

-1.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$53.7 MX$928

0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$10.13 MX$175

-7.01%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.44 MX$59.5

3.20%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.58 MX$27.37

2.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.90 MX$15.58

23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$3.04 MX$52.6

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$4.48 MX$77.4

3.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.43 MX$24.78

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$2.54 MX$43.94

7.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.93 MX$33.40

-1.04%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.63 MX$45.41

-3.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$11.32 MX$196

-11.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$8.69 MX$150

-6.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$10.72 MX$185

8.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$3.25 MX$56.1

-8.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.57 MX$27.13

15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$3.14 MX$54.3

-35.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$2.20 MX$38.04

-7.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$2.14 MX$37.01

-0.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.31 MX$39.97

-1.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.08 MX$18.61

29.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.28 MX$22.14

-11.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$4.20 MX$72.6

1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$10.25 MX$177

51.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.68 MX$28.99

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.62 MX$45.24

37.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.60 MX$10.42

-36.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$60.6 MX$1,048

-68.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$4.21 MX$72.8

-67.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$2.48 MX$42.83

-88.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$9.97 MX$172

-45.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.33 MX$23.01

-2.26%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$30.5K MX$528.1K

-38.79%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$24.1K MX$416.6K

-3.97%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$116 MX$2,000

-64.65%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$23.15 MX$400

15.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$36.11 MX$625

-17.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$25.40 MX$439

104.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$24.07 MX$416

11.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$6.06 MX$105

3.96%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$197 MX$3,413

121.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$5,199 MX$89.9K

100.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$53.9 MX$932

5.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$39.89 MX$690

11.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$82.7 MX$1,430

24.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$112 MX$1,930

-5.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$616 MX$10.7K

65.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$459 MX$7,931

37.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$1,267 MX$21.9K

68.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$1,012 MX$17.5K

22.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$2,189 MX$37.9K

78.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$2,287 MX$39.6K

-9.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$803 MX$13.9K

38.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.42

-0.70%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cancun: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $616 in Cancun. 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 39% 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 $54.0 in Cancun. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Mexico City vs $282 in Cancun – so Cancun wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cancun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City, $1,365 in Cancun – roughly 7% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $2,048 in Cancun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cancun, 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 $197 in Cancun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 Cancun, where all-in costs run around $1,365, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Cancun 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 $1,365 in Cancun to $1,467 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Cancun. 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.