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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,143 in Cholula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,838 in Cholula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $2,532 in Cholula, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 45% more than Cholula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Cholula is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$11.53 MX$198

3.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$51.0 MX$875

1.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$9.56 MX$164

19.35%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$3.44 MX$59.1

15.99%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$1.67 MX$28.64

-0.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$1.20 MX$20.53

10.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$3.00 MX$51.6

15.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$4.95 MX$84.9

19.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.91 MX$32.82

-1.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$3.27 MX$56.1

-0.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$2.02 MX$34.72

6.93%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.90 MX$49.80

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$6.82 MX$117

88.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.94 MX$102

69.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$11.80 MX$203

34.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$2.79 MX$47.94

17.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.82 MX$31.16

10.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.06 MX$35.33

6.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$2.09 MX$35.82

12.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$2.05 MX$35.16

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.91 MX$32.87

-0.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.55 MX$26.69

3.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$1.31 MX$22.45

6.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$4.99 MX$85.7

9.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$14.41 MX$247

22.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.57 MX$26.88

31.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$2.74 MX$47.05

70.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.52 MX$8.92

-34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$20.43 MX$351

1.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$3.58 MX$61.4

-41.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$2.69 MX$46.15

-79.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$16.80 MX$288

-65.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.59 MX$27.36

1.26%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$22.5K MX$386.1K

1.53%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$25.8K MX$442.3K

3.82%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$64.4 MX$1,105

1.29%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$20.67 MX$355

45.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$25.76 MX$442

44.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$78.5 MX$1,347

-23.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$21.43 MX$368

23.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.85 MX$100

20.34%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$284 MX$4,872

63.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$4,989 MX$85.6K

166.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$55.4 MX$950

37.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$47.56 MX$816

17.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$107 MX$1,831

4.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$106 MX$1,822

13.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$458 MX$7,867

140.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$309 MX$5,299

133.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$636 MX$10.9K

297.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$514 MX$8,815

151.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$1,926 MX$33.1K

107.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$1,230 MX$21.1K

69.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$859 MX$14.7K

20.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.96

3.10%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cholula: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $458 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 21% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $51.0 in Cholula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $275 – 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 45% 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 $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,715 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 $52.0 in Mexico City and $51.0 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 $1,660 in Mexico City and $1,143 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 $1,143, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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 $1,143 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 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.