Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cerro de Pasco Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cerro de Pasco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $529 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $843 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,156 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 175% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Cerro de Pasco is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$2.73 PEN 9.25

378.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$28.00 PEN 95.0

91.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$7.01 PEN 23.79

38.09%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.98 PEN 6.72

88.89%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.71 PEN 2.42

128.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.44 PEN 1.48

163.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.23 PEN 7.58

44.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$3.80 PEN 12.90

24.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.42 PEN 4.81

16.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$2.26 PEN 7.66

21.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.20 PEN 4.09

55.83%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.28 PEN 7.73

9.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.09 PEN 27.44

26.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$5.72 PEN 19.39

44.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$7.84 PEN 26.58

50.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.04 PEN 6.91

47.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$0.70 PEN 2.38

158.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$0.40 PEN 1.36

400.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.14 PEN 3.87

75.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.71 PEN 2.42

192.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.52 PEN 1.77

336.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.89 PEN 3.01

64.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.81 PEN 2.74

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$5.70 PEN 19.34

-23.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$7.35 PEN 24.93

131.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.69 PEN 5.72

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.52 PEN 8.57

42.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$3.28 PEN 11.12

-59.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$2.21 PEN 7.48

-87.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$8.49 PEN 28.79

-38.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.37 PEN 4.64

-2.19%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$19.8K PEN 67.1K

-1.80%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$24.2K PEN 82.1K

-1.53%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$56.1 PEN 190

-27.42%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$12.48 PEN 42.33

115.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$23.99 PEN 81.4

27.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$6.86 PEN 23.28

-5.10%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$214 PEN 728

99.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$8,047 PEN 27.3K

30.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$49.42 PEN 168

15.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$36.25 PEN 123

25.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$88.8 PEN 301

17.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$91.1 PEN 309

18.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$382 PEN 1,297

451.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$467 PEN 1,584

122.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.11

12.17%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 122% 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 $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $193 – making Cerro de Pasco 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 Cerro de Pasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 175%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $794 in Cerro de Pasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cerro de Pasco, where all-in costs run around $529, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Cerro de Pasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cerro de Pasco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cerro de Pasco. 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.