Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and El Mahalla El Kubra Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and El Mahalla El Kubra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $689 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $939 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 235% more than El Mahalla El Kubra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while El Mahalla El Kubra is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.55 E£184

271.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$13.58 E£705

296.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$3.98 E£207

136.68%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$0.96 E£49.99

269.79%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.31 E£16.31

422.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.13 E£6.50

753.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$1.16 E£60.2

168.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$3.02 E£157

53.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$0.79 E£41.06

115.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$0.29 E£15.03

837.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$0.58 E£30.30

229.31%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.45 E£75.2

75.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$2.50 E£130

301.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.34 E£225

86.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.32 E£380

58.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$1.29 E£67.1

130.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$0.58 E£29.98

212.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$0.42 E£21.84

378.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$0.27 E£14.04

651.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$0.35 E£18.34

505.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$0.40 E£20.82

467.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.22 E£11.38

536.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.20 E£10.55

465.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$1.90 E£98.7

124.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$5.70 E£296

172.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$1.41 E£73.2

24.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$2.57 E£133

40.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.19 E£9.74

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.41 E£21.50

236.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.11 E£5.86

154.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$0.95 E£49.37

473.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.32 E£16.72

306.25%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$36.1K E£1.9M

-48.30%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$32.5K E£1.7M

-28.88%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$11.10 E£576

268.11%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$5.58 E£290

380.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$9.92 E£515

202.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$22.42 E£1,164

132.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$2.90 E£151

117.24%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$33.25 E£1,726

1211.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$1,840 E£95.5K

466.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$18.08 E£938

213.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$43.33 E£2,249

2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$108 E£5,594

-4.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$49.98 E£2,594

111.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$193 E£10.0K

428.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$101 E£5,224

526.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$306 E£15.9K

598.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$180 E£9,349

589.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$785 E£40.7K

397.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$397 E£20.6K

419.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-33.29%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for El Mahalla El Kubra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $193 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $14.00 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $112 – making El Mahalla El Kubra 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 El Mahalla El Kubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City, $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra – roughly 235% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $658 in El Mahalla El Kubra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,467 in Mexico City and $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $33.25 in El Mahalla El Kubra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Mahalla El Kubra, where all-in costs run around $438, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In El Mahalla El Kubra 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 $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra to $1,467 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 El Mahalla El Kubra. 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.