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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $1,419 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $2,340 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $3,260 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

$12.98 MX$227

$5.29 TTD 35.95

145.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$73.2 TTD 497

-27.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$6.81 TTD 46.26

42.73%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.62 TTD 24.58

3.59%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$1.05 TTD 7.14

49.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.56 TTD 3.83

101.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.79 TTD 12.19

77.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$3.13 TTD 21.24

48.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.76 TTD 18.73

-41.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$2.13 TTD 14.44

27.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$2.61 TTD 17.69

-27.97%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$4.41 TTD 29.91

-43.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$8.11 TTD 55.1

24.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$10.38 TTD 70.5

-20.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$14.09 TTD 95.7

-15.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$5.97 TTD 40.51

-52.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.50 TTD 16.98

-30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$4.36 TTD 29.60

-52.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$4.65 TTD 31.55

-57.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.45 TTD 9.84

48.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.72 TTD 11.68

26.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.88 TTD 12.79

-26.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.41 TTD 9.59

-20.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$5.79 TTD 39.29

-27.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$19.81 TTD 135

-28.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.19 TTD 14.89

-19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.80 TTD 19.02

31.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.93 TTD 6.32

-58.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$74.8 TTD 508

-75.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.00 TTD 6.79

39.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.90 TTD 6.09

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$14.67 TTD 99.6

-63.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.11 TTD 7.55

21.62%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$14.6K TTD 99.0K

29.50%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$38.0K TTD 257.7K

-39.01%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$79.4 TTD 539

-48.58%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$46.81 TTD 318

-41.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$61.4 TTD 417

-50.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$44.10 TTD 299

21.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$7.50 TTD 50.9

-16.40%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$325 TTD 2,206

34.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$7,326 TTD 49.7K

42.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$59.4 TTD 403

-4.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$38.39 TTD 261

16.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$146 TTD 993

-29.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$129 TTD 879

-16.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$674 TTD 4,578

48.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$442 TTD 3,004

40.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$1,452 TTD 9,859

47.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$950 TTD 6,452

29.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$1,783 TTD 12.1K

-40.15%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Diego Martin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $674 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 67% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $73.0 in Diego Martin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $369 – 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $2,129 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 29% 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 $53.0 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 $1,419, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $1,419 versus $1,484 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.