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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $812 in Diadema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,306 in Diadema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,799 in Diadema.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 78% more expensive than Diadema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Diadema is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$7.11 R$36.02

82.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$39.65 R$201

32.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.41 R$37.49

27.26%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.87 R$9.46

90.91%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.25 R$6.32

28.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.85 R$4.32

35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.83 R$9.27

72.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.91 R$14.73

67.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.02 R$5.16

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.59 R$8.03

66.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.26 R$6.38

50.79%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.40 R$12.14

5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$8.14 R$41.19

23.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.82 R$19.35

117.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$8.72 R$44.14

32.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.24 R$11.33

35.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.79 R$9.05

-4.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.46 R$7.38

40.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.52 R$7.69

35.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.26 R$6.35

63.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.14 R$5.78

90.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.78 R$3.95

79.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.64 R$3.26

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.50 R$12.64

71.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$8.44 R$42.74

82.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.36 R$6.88

22.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.28 R$11.56

61.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.93 R$4.71

-59.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$37.85 R$192

-49.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.86 R$4.37

60.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.69 R$3.52

-59.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$8.85 R$44.81

-38.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.00 R$5.07

28.00%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$22.0K R$111.2K

-13.57%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$28.0K R$142.0K

-16.35%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$46.99 R$238

-12.70%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$13.00 R$65.8

107.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$18.59 R$94.1

59.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$22.45 R$114

133.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$21.58 R$109

21.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.47 R$27.67

12.98%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$311 R$1,574

37.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$6,815 R$34.5K

56.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$52.2 R$264

8.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$42.28 R$214

6.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$79.4 R$402

31.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$71.8 R$363

47.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$313 R$1,584

217.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$215 R$1,091

188.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$581 R$2,939

266.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$434 R$2,198

188.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,203 R$6,088

224.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$804 R$4,069

160.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$478 R$2,417

131.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.92

3.85%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Diadema: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $313 in Diadema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 132% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $40.00 in Diadema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $191 per month, with Diadema 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 Diadema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diadema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 132% more on average, 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $313 in Diadema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Diadema – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $812 in Diadema – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $812 in Diadema versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Diadema but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Diadema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Diadema 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.

Expats usually find Diadema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.