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 $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $560 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $907 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,254 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 200% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Cerro de Pasco is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$3.00 PEN 10.05

304.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$29.52 PEN 99.0

82.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$7.07 PEN 23.70

56.86%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.13 PEN 7.15

92.49%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.76 PEN 2.56

121.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.47 PEN 1.56

195.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.60 PEN 8.72

28.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$4.57 PEN 15.32

28.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.52 PEN 5.10

21.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$2.33 PEN 7.81

36.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.34 PEN 4.50

54.48%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.47 PEN 8.28

18.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$9.17 PEN 30.74

37.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$5.98 PEN 20.05

69.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$8.10 PEN 27.17

98.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.07 PEN 6.95

63.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$0.77 PEN 2.58

170.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$0.43 PEN 1.46

393.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.22 PEN 4.11

97.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.72 PEN 2.40

195.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.51 PEN 1.71

294.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.86 PEN 2.89

80.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.90 PEN 3.03

51.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$5.87 PEN 19.69

-1.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$7.65 PEN 25.63

131.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$2.01 PEN 6.73

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.64 PEN 8.84

74.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$4.12 PEN 13.80

-50.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$2.13 PEN 7.14

-72.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$7.21 PEN 24.17

-15.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.67 PEN 5.60

-7.19%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$22.4K PEN 75.0K

2.20%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$26.5K PEN 89.0K

2.60%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$69.8 PEN 234

-3.48%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$16.83 PEN 56.4

81.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$27.87 PEN 93.4

33.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$7.48 PEN 25.08

-4.95%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$185 PEN 622

145.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$13.1K PEN 44.0K

4.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$55.1 PEN 185

34.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$35.26 PEN 118

61.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$87.2 PEN 292

32.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$80.8 PEN 271

50.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$421 PEN 1,412

511.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$476 PEN 1,597

127.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

8.94

26.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 127% 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 $30.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $206 – 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 200%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $839 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 $30.00 in Cerro de Pasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% 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 $560, than in Mexico City at $1,677. 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.