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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $681 in Contagem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $1,082 in Contagem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $1,482 in Contagem, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 113% more than Contagem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Contagem is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$225

$4.41 R$22.75

193.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$908

$18.31 R$94.5

185.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$168

$5.86 R$30.25

65.36%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.1

$1.28 R$6.59

192.97%

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

$1.56 MX$27.14

$0.92 R$4.74

69.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.10

$0.46 R$2.40

152.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$56.3

$1.20 R$6.18

170.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$85.0

$2.18 R$11.27

124.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.54

$0.95 R$4.89

78.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$46.30

$1.53 R$7.88

74.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.77

$1.52 R$7.87

24.34%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.74

$1.60 R$8.27

57.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$174

$8.20 R$42.32

22.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$148

$3.29 R$16.96

159.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$207

$5.12 R$26.41

133.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.6

$1.83 R$9.46

62.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.14

$1.33 R$6.85

34.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.69

$0.88 R$4.54

127.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.03

$1.32 R$6.83

48.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.53

$1.05 R$5.44

105.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.38

$0.85 R$4.37

167.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.34

$0.70 R$3.62

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.34

$0.68 R$3.52

63.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.9

$2.19 R$11.30

91.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$287

$5.84 R$30.12

183.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.19

$1.04 R$5.36

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$62.3

$2.14 R$11.05

67.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$1.39 R$7.16

-71.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

$72.0 R$372

-73.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.98

$0.90 R$4.66

53.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.24

$1.00 R$5.18

-70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$93.5

$8.14 R$42.00

-33.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.32

$1.07 R$5.51

20.56%

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

$18.9K MX$327.9K

$25.4K R$131.3K

-25.72%

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

$23.8K MX$413.0K

$28.1K R$144.9K

-15.22%

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

$39.86 MX$692

$66.3 R$342

-39.92%

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

$27.83 MX$483

$14.06 R$72.6

97.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$517

$16.15 R$83.4

84.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$902

$23.88 R$123

117.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$455

$21.86 R$113

19.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$6.66 R$34.35

-5.86%

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

$433 MX$7,508

$133 R$686

225.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.9K

$6,753 R$34.9K

56.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$989

$52.0 R$268

9.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$787

$36.78 R$190

23.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,768

$71.0 R$366

43.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,883

$65.7 R$339

65.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.2K

$205 R$1,058

384.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.7K

$122 R$631

404.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$36.2K

$430 R$2,220

384.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.8K

$270 R$1,391

365.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$68.3K

$1,931 R$9,964

103.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$36.2K

$980 R$5,056

113.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.6K

$262 R$1,353

331.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.83

4.71%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Contagem: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $205 in Contagem. 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 332% 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 $18.00 in Contagem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $158 – making Contagem 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 Contagem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 113%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $1,022 in Contagem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 275% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Mexico City and $133 in Contagem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Contagem, where all-in costs run around $681, than in Mexico City at $1,448. In Contagem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Contagem – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Contagem. 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.