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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $1,021 in Cholula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,575 in Cholula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $2,129 in Cholula, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 42% more than Cholula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Cholula is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$11.99 MX$206

8.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$45.85 MX$787

14.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$8.16 MX$140

15.56%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.64 MX$62.5

-1.92%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.18 MX$20.21

36.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.92 MX$15.71

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.40 MX$41.15

31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$4.17 MX$71.5

16.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.42 MX$24.32

19.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.55 MX$43.76

3.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.54 MX$26.49

23.38%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.42 MX$41.48

4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$7.11 MX$122

41.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$6.50 MX$111

27.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$10.86 MX$186

6.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.52 MX$43.21

20.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.37 MX$23.58

24.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.64 MX$28.14

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.77 MX$30.37

16.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.70 MX$29.15

21.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.83 MX$31.43

18.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.26 MX$21.64

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.10 MX$18.96

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.30 MX$73.8

-0.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$14.18 MX$243

8.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.30 MX$22.29

28.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.85 MX$48.88

29.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.61 MX$10.54

-37.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$16.36 MX$281

16.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$3.25 MX$55.8

-57.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.24 MX$21.35

-77.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$10.45 MX$179

-48.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.26 MX$21.56

1.59%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$20.2K MX$346.4K

-5.97%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.6K MX$354.3K

13.67%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$62.9 MX$1,080

-34.79%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$22.37 MX$384

20.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$25.48 MX$437

16.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$35.39 MX$607

47.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$15.73 MX$270

66.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.27 MX$90.5

17.27%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$319 MX$5,478

33.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,546 MX$60.9K

201.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$51.1 MX$877

11.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$42.73 MX$733

4.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$112 MX$1,915

-6.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$99.7 MX$1,712

6.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$365 MX$6,270

172.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$254 MX$4,359

144.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$511 MX$8,774

315.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$377 MX$6,473

232.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,940 MX$33.3K

101.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,240 MX$21.3K

68.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$853 MX$14.6K

29.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.25

0.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cholula: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $365 in Cholula. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 30% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $46.00 in Cholula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $246 – making Cholula 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 Cholula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 42% more than Cholula, 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 $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,531 in Cholula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cholula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $46.00 in Cholula. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,447 in Mexico City and $1,021 in Cholula. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cholula, where all-in costs run around $1,021, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Cholula 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. Cholula costs $1,021 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 Cholula. 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.