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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,794 in Dessau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $2,980 in Dessau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $4,166 in Dessau.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 18% less than in Dessau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Dessau 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$19.18 €16.61

-31.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$58.4 €50.6

-8.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$11.95 €10.35

-21.92%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.80 €3.29

-2.63%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$2.58 €2.23

-37.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$3.03 €2.62

-63.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$5.16 €4.47

-39.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$3.99 €3.45

21.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.22 €1.06

35.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$2.36 €2.05

14.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$3.38 €2.92

-43.49%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$3.82 €3.31

-32.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$14.92 €12.92

-34.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$14.38 €12.46

-41.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$23.98 €20.77

-50.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.94 €2.55

0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.74 €1.51

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.29 €1.98

-10.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$4.93 €4.27

-58.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.52 €1.32

41.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.50 €1.30

50.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$2.06 €1.78

-32.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.23 €1.06

-8.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$9.33 €8.08

-54.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$6.69 €5.80

161.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$0.96 €0.83

78.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.68 €1.46

116.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$2.24 €1.94

-84.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$62.8 €54.4

-69.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$5.29 €4.58

-73.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$2.67 €2.31

-89.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$35.01 €30.32

-84.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.90 €1.64

-28.42%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$30.9K €26.8K

-38.25%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$38.9K €33.7K

-39.25%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$332 €287

-87.78%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$11.58 €10.03

136.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$54.6 €47.27

-44.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$31.78 €27.52

64.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$23.58 €20.42

12.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$12.77 €11.06

-51.53%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$232 €201

83.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$11.4K €9,888

-5.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$93.9 €81.3

-37.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$48.80 €42.26

-8.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$152 €132

-31.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$188 €162

-42.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$465 €403

117.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$378 €328

64.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$761 €659

178.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$1,246 €1,079

-1.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$3,398 €2,943

11.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,812 €1,569

16.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$2,206 €1,910

-52.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.98

184.92%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Dessau: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $465 in Dessau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dessau pays 110% 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 $58.0 in Dessau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $364 per month, with Mexico City 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 Dessau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 110% lower in Dessau. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $465 in Dessau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Dessau. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $58.0 in Dessau. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,794 in Dessau, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Dessau. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Dessau 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Dessau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.