Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cuautitlan Izcalli Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cuautitlan Izcalli

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,046 in Cuautitlan Izcalli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,628 in Cuautitlan Izcalli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,211 in Cuautitlan Izcalli.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 41% more expensive than in Cuautitlan Izcalli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Cuautitlan Izcalli is 21% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Cuautitlan Izcalli
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.14 MX$229
$10.74 MX$187
22.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.5 MX$934
$25.74 MX$449
107.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.33 MX$163
$7.80 MX$136
19.62%
Cappuccino
$3.70 MX$64.5
$3.20 MX$55.8
15.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 MX$27.98
$1.60 MX$27.99
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 MX$19.49
$1.15 MX$20.07
-2.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.14 MX$54.7
$2.35 MX$41.07
33.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.85 MX$84.5
$4.82 MX$84.1
0.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Cuautitlan Izcalli
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 MX$28.84
$1.56 MX$27.12
5.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.71 MX$47.34
$2.68 MX$46.81
1.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 MX$33.29
$1.34 MX$23.34
42.54%
Eggs
$2.59 MX$45.17
$2.56 MX$44.57
1.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.81 MX$171
$2.61 MX$45.43
275.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$147
$5.10 MX$88.9
65.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.93 MX$208
$6.80 MX$119
75.44%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$51.5
$2.36 MX$41.11
25.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 MX$30.35
$1.54 MX$26.89
12.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.04 MX$35.66
$1.28 MX$22.37
59.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$35.93
$1.96 MX$34.19
5.10%
Potato (1kg)
$2.15 MX$37.49
$2.16 MX$37.63
-0.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 MX$39.33
$2.22 MX$38.72
1.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.39 MX$24.17
$1.44 MX$25.13
-3.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12 MX$19.47
$1.04 MX$18.10
7.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.22 MX$73.6
$4.23 MX$73.8
-0.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.51 MX$305
$10.25 MX$179
70.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 MX$29.82
$1.52 MX$26.49
12.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 MX$63.4
$3.55 MX$62.0
2.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Cuautitlan Izcalli
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.35 MX$6.15
$0.77 MX$13.35
-54.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.32 MX$337
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.38 MX$24.00
$0.75 MX$13.11
84.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 MX$4.81
$0.30 MX$5.30
-6.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.28 MX$92.0
$5.26 MX$91.7
0.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 MX$23.69
$1.23 MX$21.43
10.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.1K MX$333.2K
$19.3K MX$336.5K
-1.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K MX$411.7K
$23.0K MX$401.4K
2.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Cuautitlan Izcalli
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.53 MX$707
$40.56 MX$707
-0.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.38 MX$478
$27.00 MX$471
1.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 MX$530
$18.48 MX$322
64.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Cuautitlan Izcalli
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 MX$911
$35.39 MX$617
47.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.48 MX$462
$15.56 MX$271
70.18%
Cinema Ticket
$6.19 MX$108
$4.12 MX$71.8
50.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Cuautitlan Izcalli
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$425 MX$7,414
$440 MX$7,682
-3.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K MX$187.2K
$3,627 MX$63.3K
195.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Cuautitlan Izcalli
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.3 MX$1,017
$53.0 MX$924
10.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.57 MX$777
$26.27 MX$458
69.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 MX$1,805
$101 MX$1,768
2.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 MX$1,897
$52.3 MX$912
107.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Cuautitlan Izcalli
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,014 MX$17.7K
$508 MX$8,860
99.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$623 MX$10.9K
$396 MX$6,898
57.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,119 MX$37.0K
$933 MX$16.3K
127.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,223 MX$21.3K
$754 MX$13.2K
62.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,792 MX$66.1K
$1,899 MX$33.1K
99.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,110 MX$36.8K
$1,065 MX$18.6K
98.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Cuautitlan Izcalli
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,052 MX$18.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.34
11.34
-

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Cuautitlan Izcalli: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $508 in Cuautitlan Izcalli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $26.00 in Cuautitlan Izcalli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $212 per month, with Cuautitlan Izcalli 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 Cuautitlan Izcalli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cuautitlan Izcalli cheaper than Mexico City?
Cuautitlan Izcalli is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,208 in Mexico City and $1,568 in Cuautitlan Izcalli to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Mexico City and Cuautitlan Izcalli?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $508 in Cuautitlan Izcalli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $440 in Cuautitlan Izcalli. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Mexico City or in Cuautitlan Izcalli?
Dining out is cheaper in Cuautitlan Izcalli – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Mexico City or in Cuautitlan Izcalli?
At $1,046 in Cuautitlan Izcalli versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cuautitlan Izcalli but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cuautitlan Izcalli the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Mexico City or Cuautitlan Izcalli more family-friendly?
For families, Cuautitlan Izcalli 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.
Which city is safer, Mexico City or Cuautitlan Izcalli?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Cuautitlan Izcalli are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cuautitlan Izcalli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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