Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ecatepec Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ecatepec

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $1,175 in Ecatepec, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,897 in Ecatepec, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $2,620 in Ecatepec, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 24% more than Ecatepec, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Ecatepec is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$13.27 MX$233

-1.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$46.90 MX$823

14.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$9.16 MX$161

5.68%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$3.51 MX$61.6

6.55%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$1.35 MX$23.72

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.99 MX$17.37

17.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.99 MX$52.5

8.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$4.71 MX$82.5

0.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.38 MX$24.14

19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$2.67 MX$46.89

3.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.87 MX$32.84

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.56 MX$44.83

-2.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.07 MX$142

26.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$8.34 MX$146

-1.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$11.67 MX$205

1.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.89 MX$50.7

4.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.72 MX$30.09

5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$2.08 MX$36.45

-3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.99 MX$34.90

0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.85 MX$32.43

12.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$2.29 MX$40.21

-0.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.46 MX$25.58

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.07 MX$18.80

0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$4.13 MX$72.4

5.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$16.83 MX$295

0.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.69 MX$29.66

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$3.69 MX$64.8

-2.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.60 MX$10.50

-35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$29.36 MX$515

-36.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$1.63 MX$28.62

-18.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.30 MX$5.27

-6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$5.49 MX$96.2

-4.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.26 MX$22.16

6.35%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$18.2K MX$319.0K

6.75%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$21.7K MX$380.7K

9.79%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$40.12 MX$704

1.42%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$21.43 MX$376

25.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$29.95 MX$525

1.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$25.02 MX$439

110.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$10.71 MX$188

148.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$6.21 MX$109

4.83%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$341 MX$5,973

25.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$3,633 MX$63.7K

188.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$57.6 MX$1,010

-0.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$45.16 MX$792

0.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$103 MX$1,804

1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$107 MX$1,885

0.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$508 MX$8,905

97.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$392 MX$6,880

58.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$918 MX$16.1K

129.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$756 MX$13.3K

61.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$808 MX$14.2K

380.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$798 MX$14.0K

154.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$576 MX$10.1K

80.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.5

-1.39%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ecatepec: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $508 in Ecatepec. 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 80% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $47.00 in Ecatepec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $280 – making Ecatepec 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 Ecatepec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City, $1,175 in Ecatepec – roughly 24% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,762 in Ecatepec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $47.00 in Ecatepec. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,456 in Mexico City and $1,175 in Ecatepec. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ecatepec, where all-in costs run around $1,175, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Ecatepec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,175 in Ecatepec to $1,456 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ecatepec. 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.