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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $668 in Criciuma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $986 in Criciuma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,305 in Criciuma.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 120% more expensive than Criciuma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Criciuma is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$230

$4.92 R$25.45

167.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$941

$21.56 R$111

150.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$165

$5.30 R$27.40

77.74%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$62.0

$1.22 R$6.29

190.98%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$0.86 R$4.42

88.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.46

$0.56 R$2.91

98.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.5

$1.58 R$8.19

97.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.8

$1.52 R$7.84

204.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.71

$0.85 R$4.40

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.47

$1.23 R$6.36

121.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.39

$0.93 R$4.81

105.38%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.28

$1.85 R$9.59

37.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$175

$8.15 R$42.14

23.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$141

$3.18 R$16.45

154.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$203

$6.87 R$35.55

69.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.8

$1.93 R$9.96

53.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$0.82 R$4.25

120.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.15

$0.87 R$4.49

131.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.53

$1.28 R$6.59

58.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$37.10

$1.04 R$5.36

103.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.63

$0.97 R$5.04

134.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.45

$0.65 R$3.37

115.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.74

$0.64 R$3.29

76.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.6

$2.51 R$12.96

70.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$272

$4.75 R$24.58

227.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.68

$1.07 R$5.55

64.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.8

$1.31 R$6.77

174.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.69

$0.88 R$4.54

-56.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$335

$32.04 R$166

-40.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.02

$0.45 R$2.32

206.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.83

$1.02 R$5.27

-72.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$95.1

$2.20 R$11.40

147.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.77

$1.09 R$5.63

19.27%

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

$18.7K MX$326.3K

$20.0K R$103.5K

-6.62%

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

$23.1K MX$403.9K

$25.7K R$133.1K

-10.14%

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

$40.86 MX$714

$59.9 R$310

-31.73%

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

$26.81 MX$468

$13.94 R$72.1

92.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$523

$20.82 R$108

43.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$908

$25.30 R$131

105.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$469

$21.66 R$112

23.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$110

$7.65 R$39.55

-17.65%

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

$436 MX$7,616

$125 R$647

248.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$181.9K

$1,542 R$7,975

575.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$989

$24.14 R$125

134.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$775

$30.08 R$156

47.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,797

$67.1 R$347

53.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,843

$32.03 R$166

229.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.8K

$222 R$1,151

359.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$11.0K

$198 R$1,023

218.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.3K

$303 R$1,568

604.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.7K

$245 R$1,269

406.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.2K

$1,175 R$6,077

232.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$36.0K

$657 R$3,399

214.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.5K

$314 R$1,626

254.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

8.4

35.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $222 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 255% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $22.00 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $150 per month, with Criciuma cheaper across the board.

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 Criciuma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Criciuma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 120% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 255% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $222 in Criciuma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Criciuma runs roughly 67% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $125 in Criciuma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $668 in Criciuma versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Criciuma but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Criciuma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Criciuma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Criciuma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.