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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $514 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $835 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,157 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 186% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Cerro de Pasco is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$2.86 PEN 9.74

360.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$27.73 PEN 94.3

94.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.95 PEN 23.65

35.54%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.88 PEN 6.41

88.83%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.72 PEN 2.46

125.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.41 PEN 1.38

170.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.20 PEN 7.50

41.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$3.83 PEN 13.02

20.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.48 PEN 5.04

14.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$2.24 PEN 7.62

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.23 PEN 4.20

55.28%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.31 PEN 7.86

9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$8.15 PEN 27.73

23.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.80 PEN 19.73

39.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.80 PEN 26.54

48.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.97 PEN 6.71

50.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$0.67 PEN 2.28

170.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$0.43 PEN 1.48

367.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.13 PEN 3.84

79.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.67 PEN 2.27

216.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.51 PEN 1.75

345.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.82 PEN 2.80

70.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.79 PEN 2.70

43.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$5.62 PEN 19.14

-24.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$7.24 PEN 24.65

114.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.68 PEN 5.72

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.44 PEN 8.31

47.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$3.36 PEN 11.42

-58.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$2.19 PEN 7.45

-87.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$8.15 PEN 27.74

-33.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.36 PEN 4.62

-4.41%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$19.1K PEN 65.1K

-2.31%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$24.5K PEN 83.4K

-5.60%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$56.0 PEN 190

-26.98%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$12.44 PEN 42.31

115.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$23.81 PEN 81.0

25.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.06 PEN 24.03

-10.76%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$223 PEN 757

95.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$7,987 PEN 27.2K

30.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$50.5 PEN 172

12.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$36.65 PEN 125

21.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$89.9 PEN 306

14.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$90.9 PEN 309

16.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$386 PEN 1,312

453.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$468 PEN 1,591

138.43%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 138% 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: $288 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 186%, 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $770 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 49% 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 $514, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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.