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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,060 in Cuernavaca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,774 in Cuernavaca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,488 in Cuernavaca.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 57% more expensive than in Cuernavaca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Cuernavaca is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$8.63 MX$148

38.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$41.25 MX$708

25.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$7.65 MX$131

49.15%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.56 MX$43.96

55.86%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$1.42 MX$24.34

16.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.70 MX$12.07

90.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$2.55 MX$43.81

36.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$3.48 MX$59.8

69.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.75 MX$30.01

7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$2.50 MX$42.93

30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.55 MX$26.55

39.35%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.04 MX$34.97

42.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$8.62 MX$148

49.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.33 MX$91.5

88.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$14.35 MX$246

10.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$2.39 MX$41.01

37.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.43 MX$24.53

40.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.27 MX$39.01

-3.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.72 MX$29.47

37.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.91 MX$32.74

7.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.87 MX$32.15

1.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.63 MX$27.96

-1.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.97 MX$16.63

44.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$4.75 MX$81.6

14.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$8.89 MX$153

98.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.31 MX$22.53

57.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$3.53 MX$60.6

32.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.57 MX$9.75

-40.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$28.76 MX$494

-27.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$2.07 MX$35.49

1.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$2.76 MX$47.37

-79.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$11.90 MX$204

-51.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.43 MX$24.57

12.59%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$22.5K MX$385.7K

1.65%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$25.5K MX$436.9K

5.11%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$65.1 MX$1,118

0.08%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$19.87 MX$341

51.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$26.23 MX$450

41.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$27.37 MX$470

118.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.92 MX$102

18.92%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$237 MX$4,075

95.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$5,401 MX$92.7K

145.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$44.23 MX$759

71.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$35.27 MX$605

58.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$99.3 MX$1,705

12.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$105 MX$1,807

14.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$422 MX$7,239

161.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$349 MX$5,988

106.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$992 MX$17.0K

154.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$866 MX$14.9K

49.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$943 MX$16.2K

323.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$631 MX$10.8K

230.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$702 MX$12.0K

47.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.4

-0.88%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cuernavaca: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $422 in Cuernavaca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 48% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $41.00 in Cuernavaca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $250 per month, with Cuernavaca 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 Cuernavaca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cuernavaca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 48% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $422 in Cuernavaca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cuernavaca – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,060 in Cuernavaca versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cuernavaca but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cuernavaca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cuernavaca 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Cuernavaca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cuernavaca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.