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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,868 in Dessau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $2,979 in Dessau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $4,090 in Dessau.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 11% less than in Dessau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 21% above, Dessau 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$17.60 €15.34

-32.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$86.6 €75.5

-40.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$15.76 €13.74

-27.60%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$4.51 €3.93

-11.53%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$2.89 €2.52

-42.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$4.32 €3.76

-69.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$5.27 €4.60

-34.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$5.76 €5.02

2.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.44 €1.26

30.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.08 €1.82

56.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$4.05 €3.53

-46.67%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$3.64 €3.17

-20.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$10.26 €8.94

25.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$12.11 €10.55

-17.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$22.23 €19.38

-28.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$3.36 €2.93

-2.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$2.11 €1.84

-4.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.25 €1.96

-2.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$3.70 €3.23

-36.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.25 €1.09

64.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.16 €1.01

63.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.73 €1.51

-6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.27 €1.11

10.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$9.79 €8.54

-44.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$7.03 €6.13

151.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.17 €1.02

76.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.74 €1.52

168.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$2.64 €2.30

-87.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$65.8 €57.4

-68.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$5.09 €4.43

-58.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$2.50 €2.18

-77.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$35.09 €30.59

-83.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$2.02 €1.76

-20.30%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$33.7K €29.3K

-32.14%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$39.1K €34.1K

-31.65%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$294 €257

-77.86%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$26.89 €23.44

11.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$52.3 €45.61

-28.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$73.2 €63.8

-18.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$23.22 €20.24

14.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$12.62 €11.00

-44.22%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$318 €278

45.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$76.3 €66.5

-0.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$48.00 €41.84

16.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$139 €121

-19.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$179 €156

-32.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$471 €410

134.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$444 €387

62.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$746 €650

239.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$1,022 €891

26.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$3,484 €3,037

14.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,842 €1,606

13.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$2,217 €1,933

-53.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.95

186.08%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Dessau: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $471 in Dessau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dessau pays 114% 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 $87.0 in Dessau. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $333, with Dessau cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 114% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $471 in Dessau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Dessau pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $87.0 in Dessau. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,868 in Dessau, a $3,000 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 13% less than in Dessau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.