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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $1,075 in Castro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,630 in Castro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $2,184 in Castro, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 35% more than Castro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Castro is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$8.77 CLP 8,183

49.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$44.44 CLP 41.5K

20.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$8.03 CLP 7,500

20.55%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.84 CLP 2,655

31.69%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.30 CLP 1,215

24.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$1.06 CLP 992

9.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.16 CLP 2,952

2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$4.14 CLP 3,864

14.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.13 CLP 1,053

46.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.48 CLP 1,379

85.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.38 CLP 1,284

35.51%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$4.44 CLP 4,142

-43.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$10.17 CLP 9,493

0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$4.33 CLP 4,042

90.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$8.89 CLP 8,296

32.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.43 CLP 1,339

110.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$2.33 CLP 2,173

-22.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.58 CLP 1,475

26.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$2.10 CLP 1,958

-4.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.23 CLP 1,148

69.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.36 CLP 1,267

66.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.21 CLP 1,132

20.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$1.22 CLP 1,138

-11.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$5.28 CLP 4,933

-17.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$7.92 CLP 7,390

114.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.55 CLP 1,442

11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.21 CLP 2,060

61.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.75 CLP 702

-48.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.48 CLP 448

177.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.36 CLP 1,272

-1.47%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

-0.96%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$21.7K CLP 20.2M

9.98%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$129 CLP 120.8K

-68.55%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$13.38 CLP 12.5K

100.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$21.73 CLP 20.3K

40.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$39.23 CLP 36.6K

34.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$21.09 CLP 19.7K

26.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$5.49 CLP 5,129

18.58%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$433 CLP 404.5K

-1.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$51.1 CLP 47.7K

11.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$30.65 CLP 28.6K

48.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$61.7 CLP 57.6K

68.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$82.8 CLP 77.3K

30.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$474 CLP 442.3K

111.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$369 CLP 344.3K

68.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$882 CLP 823.5K

139.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$623 CLP 581.9K

95.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$636 CLP 594.0K

63.11%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Castro: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 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 $44.00 in Castro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $220 – 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 35% 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,613 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 $1,456 in Mexico City and $1,075 in Castro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $433 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 $1,075, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $1,075 versus $1,456 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.