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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,170 in Ecatepec, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,892 in Ecatepec, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,614 in Ecatepec, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 25% more than Ecatepec, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Ecatepec is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$13.14 MX$228

0.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$46.84 MX$812

15.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$9.15 MX$159

2.95%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$3.57 MX$61.9

-0.56%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$1.32 MX$22.91

22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$1.04 MX$17.96

6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$2.92 MX$50.7

6.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$4.72 MX$81.8

-1.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.37 MX$23.73

24.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$2.76 MX$47.84

-1.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.84 MX$31.95

3.80%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$2.52 MX$43.74

0.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$8.13 MX$141

23.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$8.45 MX$146

-4.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$11.78 MX$204

-1.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$2.98 MX$51.7

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.66 MX$28.81

9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.98 MX$34.25

1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$1.97 MX$34.08

3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$1.86 MX$32.18

13.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$2.25 MX$39.04

0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$1.38 MX$23.99

1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$1.09 MX$18.87

3.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$4.14 MX$71.8

3.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$15.85 MX$275

-1.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$1.76 MX$30.42

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$3.63 MX$63.0

-0.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.65 MX$11.30

-41.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$29.24 MX$507

-34.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$1.61 MX$27.95

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.30 MX$5.24

-6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.26 MX$21.76

3.17%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$18.1K MX$313.6K

3.27%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$21.8K MX$377.5K

6.17%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$40.82 MX$707

0.10%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$21.53 MX$373

24.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$29.74 MX$515

0.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$25.17 MX$436

106.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$10.48 MX$182

156.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$6.37 MX$110

-1.10%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$338 MX$5,865

28.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$3,545 MX$61.4K

193.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$58.1 MX$1,006

-2.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$44.50 MX$771

-0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$103 MX$1,783

0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$107 MX$1,861

-1.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$510 MX$8,841

100.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$398 MX$6,897

58.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$917 MX$15.9K

132.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$770 MX$13.3K

61.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$820 MX$14.2K

376.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$803 MX$13.9K

157.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$582 MX$10.1K

91.59%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ecatepec: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $510 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 92% 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: $288 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: $1,467 in Mexico City, $1,170 in Ecatepec – roughly 25% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,756 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $1,170 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 $1,170, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $1,170 in Ecatepec to $1,467 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.