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 $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $1,420 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $2,396 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $3,372 in Diego Martin, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 2% more than Diego Martin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mexico City and Diego Martin sit above the global median – Mexico City by 8%, Diego Martin by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.25 TTD 35.52

147.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$74.1 TTD 501

-28.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.75 TTD 45.61

39.70%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.61 TTD 24.39

-1.11%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.10 TTD 7.45

46.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.57 TTD 3.87

101.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.89 TTD 12.80

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.01 TTD 20.33

61.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.78 TTD 18.78

-38.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.13 TTD 14.38

23.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.57 TTD 17.40

-26.07%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$4.51 TTD 30.48

-43.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$7.75 TTD 52.4

30.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$10.43 TTD 70.5

-20.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$14.51 TTD 98.1

-20.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$5.86 TTD 39.62

-48.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.53 TTD 17.10

-32.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$4.24 TTD 28.68

-51.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$4.61 TTD 31.16

-55.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.50 TTD 10.16

37.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.70 TTD 11.51

27.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.94 TTD 13.08

-27.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.46 TTD 9.87

-23.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$5.86 TTD 39.63

-26.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$18.46 TTD 125

-16.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.15 TTD 14.51

-22.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.82 TTD 19.05

30.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.86 TTD 5.81

-55.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$74.3 TTD 502

-74.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.01 TTD 6.83

36.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.91 TTD 6.15

-69.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$14.62 TTD 98.9

-62.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.08 TTD 7.29

18.52%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$14.5K TTD 98.1K

30.87%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$38.3K TTD 258.7K

-38.68%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$78.8 TTD 533

-47.94%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$46.94 TTD 317

-42.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$62.7 TTD 424

-52.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$44.19 TTD 299

18.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.59 TTD 51.3

-18.58%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$334 TTD 2,256

27.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,115 TTD 48.1K

50.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$59.8 TTD 405

-5.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$39.07 TTD 264

14.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$148 TTD 1,002

-29.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$130 TTD 882

-18.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$673 TTD 4,548

47.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$448 TTD 3,029

38.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,417 TTD 9,580

50.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$956 TTD 6,462

31.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,799 TTD 12.2K

-38.45%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Diego Martin: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $673 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 62% 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 $74.0 in Diego Martin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $367 – 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 2% 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 $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $2,131 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 28% 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 $74.0 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 $1,420, than in Mexico City at $1,447. 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 $1,420 versus $1,447 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.