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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $1,573 in Desamparados, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $2,387 in Desamparados, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $3,201 in Desamparados, rent included.

Mexico City is about 6% cheaper than Desamparados, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Desamparados sit above the global median – Mexico City by 11%, Desamparados by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$9.72 ₡4,421

33.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$51.6 ₡23.5K

2.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$10.21 ₡4,645

-4.80%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.85 ₡1,749

-2.60%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$2.07 ₡943

-24.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$1.64 ₡744

-31.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$3.05 ₡1,389

4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$4.59 ₡2,089

1.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.06 ₡935

-21.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$2.77 ₡1,260

-2.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$2.20 ₡1,001

-14.55%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.93 ₡1,333

-14.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$9.72 ₡4,418

3.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$9.23 ₡4,198

-10.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$13.85 ₡6,297

-13.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$4.47 ₡2,032

-36.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.51 ₡688

15.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$4.15 ₡1,888

-49.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$3.31 ₡1,507

-40.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$3.45 ₡1,568

-37.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$3.02 ₡1,374

-27.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.97 ₡443

43.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$2.79 ₡1,270

-59.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$5.07 ₡2,307

-17.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$15.08 ₡6,856

-5.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.26 ₡1,030

-22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.61 ₡1,188

41.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.01 ₡459

-61.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.84 ₡837

-24.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.78 ₡809

-83.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$7.76 ₡3,530

-30.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.46 ₡663

-7.53%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$37.2K ₡16.9M

-49.21%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$32.5K ₡14.8M

-28.87%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$92.0 ₡41.8K

-55.64%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$25.54 ₡11.6K

7.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$52.0 ₡23.7K

-41.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$55.8 ₡25.4K

-4.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$24.32 ₡11.1K

8.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$9.75 ₡4,435

-35.69%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$535 ₡243.4K

-18.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$12.5K ₡5.7M

-15.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$62.7 ₡28.5K

-9.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$52.3 ₡23.8K

-14.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$127 ₡57.8K

-19.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$109 ₡49.5K

-0.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$780 ₡354.5K

28.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$593 ₡269.9K

4.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$1,512 ₡687.5K

41.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$974 ₡442.8K

26.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.17

11.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Desamparados: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $780 in Desamparados. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $52.0 in Desamparados. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Mexico City vs $351 in Desamparados – so Mexico City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Desamparados: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City, $1,573 in Desamparados – roughly 6% apart. Desamparados costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $2,360 in Desamparados. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, 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 $53.0 in Mexico City and $52.0 in Desamparados. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Desamparados, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Desamparados at $1,573. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Desamparados it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,484 in Mexico City to $1,573 in Desamparados. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Desamparados makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.