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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $725 in Caraguatatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,185 in Caraguatatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,644 in Caraguatatuba.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 100% more expensive than Caraguatatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Caraguatatuba is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$6.68 R$33.83

94.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$26.00 R$132

102.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.96 R$35.23

35.49%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.73 R$8.75

106.36%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.05 R$5.31

53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.83 R$4.20

38.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.78 R$9.04

76.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.83 R$14.31

71.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.89 R$4.50

91.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.48 R$7.49

78.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.18 R$5.97

61.02%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.75 R$8.88

45.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$5.56 R$28.13

81.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$2.99 R$15.12

177.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.28 R$36.84

58.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.87 R$9.46

62.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.62 R$8.21

5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.37 R$6.93

49.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.65 R$8.37

24.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.19 R$6.05

73.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.75 R$3.78

189.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.61 R$3.06

129.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.64 R$3.22

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$1.77 R$8.98

142.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$6.84 R$34.62

125.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.36 R$6.86

22.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.08 R$10.55

77.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.88 R$4.43

-56.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$20.95 R$106

-9.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.06 R$5.34

30.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.58 R$2.94

-51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$3.33 R$16.84

62.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.03 R$5.24

24.27%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$13.9K R$70.4K

36.51%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$26.9K R$136.3K

-12.83%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$52.2 R$264

-21.34%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$11.65 R$59.0

131.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$20.77 R$105

42.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$18.91 R$95.7

176.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$14.49 R$73.4

81.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.19 R$36.40

-14.05%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$195 R$987

119.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,856 R$19.5K

177.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$50.4 R$255

12.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$56.2 R$284

-20.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$69.5 R$352

50.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$52.9 R$268

100.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$385 R$1,947

158.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$209 R$1,056

197.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$777 R$3,935

173.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$472 R$2,388

165.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,555 R$7,873

150.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,134 R$5,742

84.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$328 R$1,660

237.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

8.15

39.14%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Caraguatatuba: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $385 in Caraguatatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 238% 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 $288 vs $161 per month, with Caraguatatuba cheaper across the board.

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 Caraguatatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caraguatatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 238% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $385 in Caraguatatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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.

At $725 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,447 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.

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.

Expats usually find Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.