Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Diego Martin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Diego Martin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $1,408 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $2,356 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $3,304 in Diego Martin, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 5% more than Diego Martin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mexico City and Diego Martin sit above the global median – Mexico City by 11%, Diego Martin by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$5.10 TTD 34.23

157.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$73.1 TTD 491

-26.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$6.71 TTD 45.05

39.05%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.75 TTD 25.17

-1.33%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.09 TTD 7.35

46.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.57 TTD 3.84

96.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.80 TTD 12.07

74.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$3.16 TTD 21.23

53.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$2.68 TTD 17.96

-38.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$2.09 TTD 14.00

29.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.71 TTD 18.18

-29.52%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$4.38 TTD 29.40

-40.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$8.09 TTD 54.4

21.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$10.37 TTD 69.6

-18.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$14.19 TTD 95.3

-15.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$5.68 TTD 38.17

-48.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$2.52 TTD 16.89

-30.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$4.37 TTD 29.32

-53.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$4.83 TTD 32.42

-57.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.49 TTD 10.00

44.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.65 TTD 11.10

36.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.90 TTD 12.78

-26.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.40 TTD 9.41

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$5.84 TTD 39.24

-27.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$18.01 TTD 121

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.12 TTD 14.22

-19.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.85 TTD 19.15

27.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.86 TTD 5.78

-59.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$73.8 TTD 495

-73.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.06 TTD 7.12

30.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.90 TTD 6.02

-68.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$14.65 TTD 98.4

-63.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.08 TTD 7.23

25.93%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$14.9K TTD 99.9K

28.38%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$38.9K TTD 261.4K

-39.35%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$80.0 TTD 537

-49.33%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$45.92 TTD 308

-40.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$62.3 TTD 418

-51.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$44.33 TTD 298

17.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$7.19 TTD 48.31

-13.91%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$330 TTD 2,218

28.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$7,260 TTD 48.8K

47.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$59.3 TTD 398

-1.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$38.17 TTD 256

16.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$146 TTD 983

-29.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$129 TTD 865

-15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$665 TTD 4,464

52.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$448 TTD 3,006

39.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$1,437 TTD 9,648

47.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$953 TTD 6,402

28.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$1,751 TTD 11.8K

-39.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.38

110.78%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Diego Martin: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $665 in Diego Martin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 66% higher in Diego Martin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $73.0 in Diego Martin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $364 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Diego Martin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 5% more than Diego Martin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $2,111 in Diego Martin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Diego Martin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Mexico City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $73.0 in Diego Martin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Diego Martin, where all-in costs run around $1,408, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In Diego Martin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Diego Martin costs $1,408 versus $1,472 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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