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 $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $757 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,258 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,758 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 91% more than Chimaltenango, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Chimaltenango is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.13 Q 39.10

153.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$49.02 Q 373

7.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.30 Q 47.94

49.68%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.22 Q 24.53

10.87%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.22 Q 9.30

31.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.93 Q 7.11

23.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$3.34 Q 25.43

-5.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$4.55 Q 34.64

6.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.13 Q 16.20

-20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$3.06 Q 23.28

-13.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.09 Q 15.88

-9.09%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.65 Q 20.18

-4.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$7.75 Q 59.0

30.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$8.57 Q 65.2

-3.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$12.04 Q 91.7

-3.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.67 Q 27.91

-17.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.56 Q 11.89

9.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$3.07 Q 23.36

-33.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.83 Q 13.96

12.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.72 Q 13.07

19.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.37 Q 18.02

-8.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.69 Q 5.29

102.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.19 Q 9.09

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.67 Q 27.98

16.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$8.41 Q 64.0

83.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.67 Q 12.72

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.40 Q 18.30

53.75%

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

$5.07 Q 38.59

-72.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.63 Q 4.83

-55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$15.60 Q 119

-65.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.07 Q 8.12

19.63%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$19.7K Q 150.3K

-3.84%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$25.0K Q 190.4K

-6.19%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$81.5 Q 621

-49.66%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$26.20 Q 200

2.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$47.92 Q 365

-38.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.11 Q 54.1

-13.08%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$248 Q 1,892

71.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$5,899 Q 44.9K

81.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$50.2 Q 383

13.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$53.1 Q 404

-15.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$119 Q 903

-11.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$122 Q 926

-12.87%

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

8.9

27.42%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chimaltenango: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $49.00 in Chimaltenango. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $279 – 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 91% more than Chimaltenango, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,136 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 $53.0 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 3% 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 $757, than in Mexico City at $1,447. 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 $757 versus $1,447 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.