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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,078 in Castro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,662 in Castro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,246 in Castro, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 36% more than Castro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Castro is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$8.44 CLP 7,548

56.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$45.13 CLP 40.4K

19.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.22 CLP 7,351

14.60%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$2.80 CLP 2,505

26.79%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$1.36 CLP 1,221

19.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$1.06 CLP 946

4.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$3.32 CLP 2,966

-6.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$4.19 CLP 3,749

10.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.09 CLP 979

55.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$1.51 CLP 1,354

80.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.38 CLP 1,237

38.41%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$4.32 CLP 3,863

-41.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$10.05 CLP 8,990

-0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.33 CLP 3,877

86.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$8.78 CLP 7,854

32.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$1.48 CLP 1,327

100.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$2.43 CLP 2,174

-25.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.59 CLP 1,420

26.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$2.11 CLP 1,888

-3.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$1.20 CLP 1,072

76.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$1.42 CLP 1,268

59.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$1.28 CLP 1,142

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$1.23 CLP 1,103

-8.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$5.37 CLP 4,803

-20.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$8.45 CLP 7,557

84.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$1.54 CLP 1,376

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$2.23 CLP 1,994

61.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.76 CLP 682

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.48 CLP 425

187.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.38 CLP 1,230

-5.80%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

-3.13%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$21.0K CLP 18.8M

10.01%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$131 CLP 117.3K

-68.84%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$13.36 CLP 12.0K

100.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$22.24 CLP 19.9K

34.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$38.17 CLP 34.1K

36.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$21.55 CLP 19.3K

24.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$5.77 CLP 5,162

9.19%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$443 CLP 396.1K

-1.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$51.6 CLP 46.1K

9.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$30.17 CLP 27.0K

47.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$62.4 CLP 55.9K

64.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$82.2 CLP 73.6K

28.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$474 CLP 424.2K

115.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$366 CLP 327.3K

72.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$885 CLP 791.5K

141.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$630 CLP 563.5K

97.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$685 CLP 612.8K

62.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.18

118.92%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Castro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $474 in Castro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 63% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $45.00 in Castro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $221 – making Castro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Castro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 36% more than Castro, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,617 in Castro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,467 in Mexico City and $1,078 in Castro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $443 in Castro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castro, where all-in costs run around $1,078, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Castro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Castro costs $1,078 versus $1,467 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Castro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.