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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,155 in Castelo Branco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,754 in Castelo Branco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,354 in Castelo Branco.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 43% more expensive than in Castelo Branco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Castelo Branco is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$11.46 €9.85

5.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$40.39 €34.73

29.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$9.86 €8.47

10.55%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$1.34 €1.15

202.24%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$1.41 €1.22

21.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$1.27 €1.09

8.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$1.13 €0.97

207.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$2.36 €2.03

146.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$1.22 €1.05

51.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$1.33 €1.14

142.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$1.50 €1.29

39.33%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$4.05 €3.49

-28.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$9.52 €8.18

31.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$6.05 €5.20

67.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$9.00 €7.74

76.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.19 €1.89

51.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$1.33 €1.14

60.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$1.85 €1.59

18.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$2.42 €2.08

1.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$1.73 €1.48

26.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$1.56 €1.34

21.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.23 €1.06

31.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.81 €0.70

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$6.08 €5.23

-10.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$3.46 €2.98

408.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.21 €1.04

71.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$2.01 €1.73

136.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$1.32 €1.13

-74.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$23.05 €19.81

-6.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$2.39 €2.05

-14.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.83 €0.72

-30.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$17.52 €15.06

-65.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$2.19 €1.88

-26.03%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$34.8K €30.0K

-34.53%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$42.4K €36.4K

-37.12%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$125 €107

-47.67%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$19.42 €16.70

53.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$34.33 €29.51

6.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$39.88 €34.28

52.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$7.17 €6.17

-4.46%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$705 €606

-35.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$17.7K €15.3K

-24.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$81.2 €69.8

-7.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$46.95 €40.36

17.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$85.2 €73.2

33.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$69.2 €59.5

77.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$477 €410

137.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$384 €330

85.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$848 €729

202.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$648 €557

102.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$1,643 €1,412

143.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,410 €1,213

48.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$1,695 €1,457

-38.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.79

198.15%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Castelo Branco: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $477 in Castelo Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 62% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $40.00 in Castelo Branco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $212 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 62% lower in Castelo Branco. 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $477 in Castelo Branco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $1,155 in Castelo Branco – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Castelo Branco runs roughly 7% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,155 in Castelo Branco versus $1,646 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 43% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.