Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Chilanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Chilanga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $646 in Chilanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $973 in Chilanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,299 in Chilanga.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 124% more expensive than Chilanga, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Chilanga is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$7.25 ZMW 127

79.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$25.14 ZMW 439

109.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.77 ZMW 65.9

150.13%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.93 ZMW 33.66

84.97%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.69 ZMW 11.99

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.33 ZMW 5.82

248.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$0.95 ZMW 16.61

231.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$1.82 ZMW 31.77

167.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.32 ZMW 23.00

28.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.76 ZMW 13.22

247.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.60 ZMW 28.01

18.75%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.80 ZMW 31.46

41.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$7.93 ZMW 139

27.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.80 ZMW 66.4

118.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$4.56 ZMW 79.8

153.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.56 ZMW 44.71

18.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.58 ZMW 27.61

8.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.77 ZMW 48.49

-25.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.16 ZMW 20.30

77.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.86 ZMW 32.55

10.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.33 ZMW 23.30

63.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.94 ZMW 16.45

48.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.48 ZMW 8.35

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.56 ZMW 44.67

67.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$11.59 ZMW 203

32.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.09 ZMW 19.04

53.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.58 ZMW 27.54

133.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.68 ZMW 46.88

-48.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$9.04 ZMW 158

-40.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.19 ZMW 20.72

7.56%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$8,085 ZMW 141.3K

134.76%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$28.9K ZMW 505.5K

-18.87%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$92.2 ZMW 1,611

-55.50%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$52.8 ZMW 922

-48.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$123 ZMW 2,149

-75.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$4.11 ZMW 71.9

50.36%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$179 ZMW 3,130

138.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$9,430 ZMW 164.8K

13.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$18.68 ZMW 326

204.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$16.93 ZMW 296

164.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$84.0 ZMW 1,469

24.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$73.5 ZMW 1,285

44.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-54.64%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chilanga: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $25.00 in Chilanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $179 per month, with Chilanga 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 Chilanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Chilanga differ by about 124% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $646 including rent). Chilanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $969 in Chilanga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $179 in Chilanga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chilanga – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $646 in Chilanga versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chilanga but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Chilanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Chilanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.