Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Castelo Branco Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Castelo Branco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,136 in Castelo Branco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,704 in Castelo Branco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,273 in Castelo Branco.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 29% more expensive than Castelo Branco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Castelo Branco is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$11.44 €9.84

15.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$41.18 €35.43

30.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$9.56 €8.22

-1.46%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.38 €1.18

157.25%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.70 €1.46

-4.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$1.16 €1.00

-4.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.44 €1.24

116.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$3.94 €3.39

17.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.06 €0.91

60.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.20 €1.04

126.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.66 €1.43

15.06%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.92 €2.51

-13.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$9.02 €7.76

11.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.11 €4.39

58.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$8.25 €7.10

40.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.81 €1.56

64.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.30 €1.12

39.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.24 €1.07

62.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$2.51 €2.16

-19.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.06 €0.91

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.74 €1.49

30.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.29 €1.11

8.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.71 €0.61

59.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$6.43 €5.53

-33.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$3.46 €2.98

349.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$0.79 €0.68

122.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.07 €0.92

236.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$1.18 €1.02

-67.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$42.85 €36.86

-55.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.28 €1.96

-39.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.71 €0.61

-60.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$17.29 €14.87

-68.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.90 €1.63

-31.58%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$34.2K €29.4K

-45.37%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$39.5K €34.0K

-41.43%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$98.0 €84.3

-58.30%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$22.17 €19.07

20.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$43.39 €37.33

-30.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$42.38 €36.45

22.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.16 €6.16

-12.01%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$647 €557

-32.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$16.2K €14.0K

-35.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$58.5 €50.3

-3.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$67.4 €58.0

-34.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$73.5 €63.2

39.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$58.8 €50.6

79.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$520 €447

96.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$381 €328

65.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$695 €598

207.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$637 €548

95.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,661 €1,429

134.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,407 €1,211

46.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$1,658 €1,426

-32.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.43

108.84%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Castelo Branco: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $520 in Castelo Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $41.00 in Castelo Branco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $186 per month, with Castelo Branco 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 Castelo Branco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castelo Branco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Castelo Branco earns 49% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $520 in Castelo Branco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $1,136 in Castelo Branco – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Castelo Branco runs roughly 123% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,136 in Castelo Branco versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Castelo Branco but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Castelo Branco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Castelo Branco 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Castelo Branco are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Castelo Branco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.