Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Castel

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,608 a month against $2,391 in Castel, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Castel outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Mexico City, Mexico
Castel, Guernsey
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Castel
🇬🇬 Guernsey
$2,391
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Castel

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Castel actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $2,391 in Castel, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Castel $2,391

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $3,843 in Castel, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Castel $3,843

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $5,295 in Castel, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Castel $5,295

Mexico City is about 33% cheaper than Castel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mexico City and Castel sit above the global median – Mexico City by 18%, Castel by 76%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Castel
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$200
$39.87 GGP 29.78
-73.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$909
$80.0 GGP 59.8
-39.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$194
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$69.4
$5.08 GGP 3.80
-27.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.32
$3.36 GGP 2.51
-50.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.78
$3.93 GGP 2.93
-67.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$60.0
$4.28 GGP 3.19
-25.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$99.7
$6.48 GGP 4.84
-18.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Castel
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.41
$2.06 GGP 1.54
-16.50%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$57.1
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.48
-
-
Eggs
$2.89 MX$54.3
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$206
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$174
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$284
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$57.3
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.48
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.06
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.50
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$38.25
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.83
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.80
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.82
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$99.7
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$303
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$37.27
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.9
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Castel
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.73
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$371
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.53
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$10.03
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$99.5
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.39
$2.22 GGP 1.66
-31.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$408.8K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$450.8K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Castel
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,184
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$515
$26.64 GGP 19.90
2.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$670
$65.7 GGP 49.06
-45.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Castel
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,108
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$444
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$120
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Castel
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,111
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$214.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Castel
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,282
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$999
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,026
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,204
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Castel
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.9K
$1,971 GGP 1,472
-43.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.4K
$1,835 GGP 1,371
-61.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.6K
$4,043 GGP 3,020
-35.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.4K
$3,782 GGP 2,825
-62.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$68.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$40.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Castel
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
0
-

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Castel: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Castel
–
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Castel
–
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Castel
–
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Castel
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Castel
–
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Castel
–
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Castel
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $1,971 in Castel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City versus $80 in Castel. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Mexico City vs $21 in Castel – so Castel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇬🇬 Castel
🕒 Local time
04:40 4:40 AM
10:40 10:40 AM
6 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
8,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GGP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.97 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Guernsey Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GGP (1 GGP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GGP (1 GGP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Castel 8,840 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Castel

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Castel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Castel?
Yes – Castel is pricier by about 49%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $3,587 in Castel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,113 there versus $1,971 in Castel.
How do food prices compare in Mexico City and in Castel?
Interestingly, groceries are about 94% cheaper in Castel – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Is eating out cheaper in Mexico City or in Castel?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City and $80 in Castel. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $3,000 enough for either Mexico City or Castel?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,608 in Mexico City and $2,391 in Castel, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Mexico City or in Castel?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,608 in Mexico City to $2,391 in Castel. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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