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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $1,367 in Cancun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $2,240 in Cancun, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $3,112 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 9%, Cancun by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$13.37 MX$234

-2.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$940

$54.0 MX$943

-0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$10.08 MX$176

-3.97%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.4

$3.56 MX$62.3

5.06%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$1.58 MX$27.66

2.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.31

$0.95 MX$16.68

22.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.4

$2.97 MX$52.0

8.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.9

$4.59 MX$80.2

3.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.80

$1.44 MX$25.11

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.15

$2.50 MX$43.77

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.77

$1.84 MX$32.19

1.63%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.72

$2.61 MX$45.57

-4.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$11.54 MX$202

-11.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$8.40 MX$147

-1.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$10.97 MX$192

7.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

$3.14 MX$55.0

-4.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

$1.63 MX$28.58

11.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.96

$3.13 MX$54.7

-36.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.89

$2.08 MX$36.36

-3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$2.18 MX$38.15

-4.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

$2.23 MX$39.02

1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.47

$1.08 MX$18.84

35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.82

$1.32 MX$23.13

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.0

$4.26 MX$74.4

2.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$297

$10.43 MX$182

62.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.31

$1.75 MX$30.58

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.5

$2.63 MX$46.02

36.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.77

$0.65 MX$11.30

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

$59.1 MX$1,033

-68.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$4.34 MX$75.8

-69.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

$2.58 MX$45.20

-89.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

$10.01 MX$175

-47.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$1.28 MX$22.34

4.69%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

$29.8K MX$520.8K

-34.83%

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

$23.7K MX$415.1K

0.39%

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

$40.69 MX$712

$115 MX$2,018

-64.75%

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

$26.87 MX$470

$22.90 MX$400

17.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$534

$35.36 MX$618

-13.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

$25.30 MX$442

108.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

$24.43 MX$427

9.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$5.95 MX$104

9.41%

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

$428 MX$7,485

$202 MX$3,533

111.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

$5,302 MX$92.7K

98.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,001

$54.2 MX$947

5.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$796

$39.72 MX$695

14.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,819

$82.2 MX$1,437

26.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,885

$108 MX$1,881

0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$626 MX$10.9K

60.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$457 MX$7,998

36.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.9K

$1,282 MX$22.4K

64.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$978 MX$17.1K

24.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

$1,287 MX$22.5K

201.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

$2,030 MX$35.5K

0.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$803 MX$14.0K

29.17%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cancun: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $626 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 29% 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 – $292 in Mexico City vs $281 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: $1,456 in Mexico City, $1,367 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $2,051 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 $428 per month in Mexico City and $202 in Cancun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $1,367, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $1,367 in Cancun to $1,456 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.