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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $755 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,248 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,741 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 120% more than Chimaltenango, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Chimaltenango is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$6.88 Q 52.4

73.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$48.56 Q 370

6.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.87 Q 60.0

44.98%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.35 Q 25.50

19.10%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.14 Q 8.70

45.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.83 Q 6.33

60.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$3.36 Q 25.58

3.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$4.78 Q 36.41

23.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$2.03 Q 15.51

-7.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.81 Q 21.43

15.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.11 Q 16.05

2.37%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.58 Q 19.68

12.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$6.29 Q 47.92

104.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$9.17 Q 69.9

9.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$13.16 Q 100

20.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$4.02 Q 30.68

-18.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.66 Q 12.62

21.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.92 Q 22.29

-24.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.61 Q 12.24

46.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.50 Q 11.42

36.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.09 Q 15.95

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.68 Q 5.20

136.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.20 Q 9.16

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.00 Q 30.50

36.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.30 Q 63.2

112.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.81 Q 13.79

13.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.65 Q 20.16

76.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$5.31 Q 40.48

-60.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$10.40 Q 79.3

-44.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.21 Q 9.25

33.06%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$27.8K Q 211.9K

-17.83%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$25.1K Q 191.3K

6.57%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$75.3 Q 574

-13.42%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$29.05 Q 221

3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$46.31 Q 353

-19.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.45 Q 49.17

9.15%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$335 Q 2,556

38.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$6,800 Q 51.8K

95.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$46.59 Q 355

62.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$47.52 Q 362

17.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$111 Q 846

0.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$115 Q 875

4.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.62

-2.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chimaltenango: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $49.00 in Chimaltenango. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $278 – making Chimaltenango 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 Chimaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 120% more than Chimaltenango, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,132 in Chimaltenango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $49.00 in Chimaltenango. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chimaltenango, where all-in costs run around $755, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Chimaltenango it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chimaltenango costs $755 versus $1,660 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chimaltenango. 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.