Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cayo Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cayo Coco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,221 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,683 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,145 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 19% more expensive than in Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Cayo Coco is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$5.11 CUP 123

155.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$15.03 CUP 361

257.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$6.84 CUP 164

41.52%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$0.98 CUP 23.55

281.63%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$2.06 CUP 49.33

-21.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.99 CUP 23.70

17.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.98 CUP 47.53

63.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.98 CUP 71.6

59.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$3.04 CUP 72.9

-45.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.97 CUP 23.40

183.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$2.03 CUP 48.68

-7.88%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$3.66 CUP 87.8

-31.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.11 CUP 147

66.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$5.14 CUP 123

60.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$10.05 CUP 241

17.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$5.12 CUP 123

-41.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.02 CUP 24.57

77.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$0.98 CUP 23.62

104.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.98 CUP 23.54

104.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.98 CUP 23.42

112.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$3.04 CUP 72.9

-25.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.01 CUP 24.35

44.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.98 CUP 23.53

10.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$2.93 CUP 70.4

48.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$9.87 CUP 237

72.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.99 CUP 47.70

-13.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.01 CUP 48.34

78.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$20.26 CUP 486

-7.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$1.02 CUP 24.45

30.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.98 CUP 23.43

-71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$20.31 CUP 488

-74.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.02 CUP 24.49

31.37%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$71.4K CUP 1.7M

-72.81%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$79.2K CUP 1.9M

-69.92%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$39.22 CUP 941

3.75%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$40.69 CUP 977

-33.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$217 CUP 5,199

-85.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$40.13 CUP 963

31.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$10.14 CUP 243

162.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$1.02 CUP 24.51

538.24%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$89.4 CUP 2,146

378.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$15.2K CUP 365.3K

-31.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$40.46 CUP 971

41.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$30.31 CUP 728

50.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$75.6 CUP 1,813

37.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$78.5 CUP 1,883

37.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$392 CUP 9,419

155.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$425 CUP 10.2K

46.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$1,032 CUP 24.8K

104.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$620 CUP 14.9K

96.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$298 CUP 7,162

1201.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$355 CUP 8,511

473.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$19.91 CUP 478

5112.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $392 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 5112% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $15.00 in Cayo Coco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $236 per month, with Cayo Coco 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 Cayo Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cayo Coco wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cayo Coco the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 5112% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $392 in Cayo Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cayo Coco runs roughly 8% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $89.4 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,221 in Cayo Coco versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cayo Coco but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cayo Coco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cayo Coco delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,221 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cayo Coco hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Cayo Coco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.