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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,365 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $2,283 in Diego Martin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $3,202 in Diego Martin, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 22% more than Diego Martin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mexico City and Diego Martin sit above the global median – Mexico City by 21%, Diego Martin by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$10.21 TTD 68.7

16.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$87.2 TTD 587

-40.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$9.03 TTD 60.8

26.36%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.80 TTD 25.58

5.00%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.23 TTD 8.29

34.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.77 TTD 5.16

72.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.24 TTD 15.06

54.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.88 TTD 19.39

104.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$2.38 TTD 15.99

-21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.23 TTD 14.99

45.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.91 TTD 19.60

-25.77%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$4.29 TTD 28.84

-32.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$6.60 TTD 44.42

94.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$10.19 TTD 68.6

-1.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$8.70 TTD 58.6

82.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$5.53 TTD 37.21

-40.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$2.48 TTD 16.70

-18.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$3.67 TTD 24.66

-40.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$4.26 TTD 28.64

-44.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.73 TTD 4.89

180.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.72 TTD 4.87

163.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.49 TTD 10.02

8.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.15 TTD 7.70

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$5.67 TTD 38.14

-3.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$17.92 TTD 121

-1.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.55 TTD 10.45

32.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.08 TTD 20.70

51.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.91 TTD 6.14

-62.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$74.9 TTD 504

-72.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.00 TTD 6.72

110.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.92 TTD 6.21

-39.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$14.95 TTD 101

-61.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.11 TTD 7.48

45.05%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$14.4K TTD 97.2K

58.17%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$41.9K TTD 282.0K

-36.18%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$44.77 TTD 301

45.59%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$42.81 TTD 288

-29.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$45.22 TTD 304

-17.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$44.58 TTD 300

34.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$8.81 TTD 59.3

-20.09%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$391 TTD 2,633

18.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$11.0K TTD 73.8K

20.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$54.1 TTD 364

40.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$36.45 TTD 245

53.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$88.8 TTD 597

26.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$89.0 TTD 599

35.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$657 TTD 4,420

67.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$441 TTD 2,970

63.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,442 TTD 9,700

75.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$952 TTD 6,403

35.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,781 TTD 12.0K

-41.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.75

96.52%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Diego Martin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $657 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 72% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $87.0 in Diego Martin. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $323 in Diego Martin – so Diego Martin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 22% more than Diego Martin, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $2,047 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.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $87.0 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 $1,365, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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 $1,365 versus $1,660 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.