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: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $616 in Diadema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $1,068 in Diadema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $1,519 in Diadema.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 173% more expensive than in Diadema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 23% above, Diadema is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$8.82 R$45.80

34.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$48.30 R$251

7.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$8.84 R$45.90

22.96%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$2.22 R$11.52

81.53%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$1.41 R$7.30

21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$0.87 R$4.51

54.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.89 R$15.03

17.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$4.18 R$21.70

37.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.18 R$6.14

60.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.91 R$9.94

65.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$1.11 R$5.78

84.68%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$2.63 R$13.67

14.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$8.58 R$44.57

46.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$4.35 R$22.61

128.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$10.04 R$52.2

59.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$2.63 R$13.64

24.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.73 R$8.98

19.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$1.48 R$7.71

41.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$1.74 R$9.03

43.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$1.30 R$6.75

57.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$1.19 R$6.18

57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$0.89 R$4.62

76.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$0.77 R$3.97

80.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$2.63 R$13.66

104.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$8.75 R$45.42

105.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$1.62 R$8.42

24.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$2.53 R$13.16

88.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$1.22 R$6.35

68.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$0.92 R$4.76

-39.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$9.26 R$48.10

-37.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$1.19 R$6.19

29.41%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$23.5K R$121.8K

-4.27%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$32.2K R$167.1K

-17.70%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$44.48 R$231

48.31%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$14.83 R$77.0

108.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$17.75 R$92.2

103.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$19.00 R$98.7

202.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$7.47 R$38.81

-4.55%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$424 R$2,201

7.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$7,511 R$39.0K

76.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$53.0 R$275

43.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$55.7 R$289

-2.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$91.1 R$473

27.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$81.3 R$422

49.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$1,155 R$5,999

237.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$782 R$4,060

174.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$481 R$2,500

122.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

11.12

2.07%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Diadema: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 122% 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 $48.00 in Diadema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $211 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 173% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 122% 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,682 per month in Mexico City versus $616 in Diadema – a 173% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $616 in Diadema versus $1,682 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 173% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.