😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $739 in Caraguatatuba.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,212 in Caraguatatuba.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,685 in Caraguatatuba.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 101% more expensive than Caraguatatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Caraguatatuba is 45% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Caraguatatuba
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98MX$227
$6.93R$34.56
87.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.1MX$929
$26.45R$132
100.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.72MX$170
$6.77R$33.80
43.57%
Cappuccino
$3.75MX$65.6
$1.75R$8.74
114.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57MX$27.46
$1.10R$5.46
42.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.76
$0.82R$4.09
37.80%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.18MX$55.7
$1.78R$8.90
78.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66MX$81.6
$2.83R$14.15
64.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Caraguatatuba
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62MX$28.37
$0.90R$4.49
80.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.71MX$47.36
$1.46R$7.27
85.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88MX$32.89
$1.15R$5.74
63.48%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.90
$1.72R$8.61
45.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.08MX$176
$5.54R$27.67
81.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$3.01R$15.03
175.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.94MX$209
$7.32R$36.54
63.11%
Apples(1kg)
$2.86MX$50.1
$1.88R$9.38
52.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75MX$30.62
$1.65R$8.25
6.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.48
$1.33R$6.65
56.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.97MX$34.46
$1.67R$8.35
17.96%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.79
$1.18R$5.90
83.05%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.16
$0.69R$3.46
215.94%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.39MX$24.34
$0.61R$3.04
127.87%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.69
$0.64R$3.19
75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20MX$73.5
$1.85R$9.23
127.03%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.25MX$249
$6.85R$34.20
108.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.85
$1.36R$6.77
29.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68MX$64.5
$2.02R$10.07
82.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Caraguatatuba
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39MX$6.74
$0.87R$4.37
-55.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.66MX$327
$20.94R$105
-10.89%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.39MX$24.26
$1.06R$5.27
31.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30MX$5.32
$0.63R$3.12
-52.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.42MX$94.9
$3.25R$16.22
66.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35MX$23.63
$1.08R$5.39
25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9KMX$330.5K
$13.6KR$68.1K
38.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KMX$405.2K
$26.4KR$131.8K
-12.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Caraguatatuba
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.82MX$714
$51.5R$257
-20.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.50MX$481
$11.65R$58.1
136.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38MX$532
$20.96R$105
44.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Caraguatatuba
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4MX$935
$19.00R$94.8
181.21%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.30MX$460
$14.49R$72.3
81.50%
Cinema Ticket
$6.27MX$110
$7.26R$36.21
-13.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Caraguatatuba
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,632
$196R$977
122.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5KMX$183.2K
$3,863R$19.3K
171.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Caraguatatuba
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8MX$993
$51.0R$254
11.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.79MX$784
$55.7R$278
-19.60%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,799
$71.3R$356
44.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108MX$1,888
$52.1R$260
106.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Caraguatatuba
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,000MX$17.5K
$379R$1,889
164.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$620MX$10.9K
$214R$1,069
189.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,137MX$37.4K
$789R$3,938
170.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,235MX$21.6K
$478R$2,387
158.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,865MX$67.6K
$1,662R$8,296
132.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332MX$40.8K
$1,184R$5,908
96.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Caraguatatuba
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,067MX$18.7K
$343R$1,711
211.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
8.15
39.14%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Caraguatatuba: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $379 in Caraguatatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mexico City pays 211% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $26.00 in Caraguatatuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $161 per month, with Caraguatatuba cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Mexico City vs Caraguatatuba: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Caraguatatuba cheaper than Mexico City?
Caraguatatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Mexico City or Caraguatatuba?
Mexico City pays 211% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Mexico City and Caraguatatuba?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $379 in Caraguatatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Mexico City and Caraguatatuba?
Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Mexico City or Caraguatatuba?
Dining out is cheaper in Caraguatatuba – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Mexico City or Caraguatatuba?
At $739 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caraguatatuba but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Caraguatatuba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Mexico City or Caraguatatuba more family-friendly?
For families, Caraguatatuba is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado