Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and El Progreso Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and El Progreso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $144 in El Progreso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $289 in El Progreso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $434 in El Progreso.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 1066% more expensive than in El Progreso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, El Progreso is 90% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$4.85 HNL 130

150.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$25.23 HNL 678

113.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$8.15 HNL 219

36.07%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.47 HNL 39.42

178.91%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.81 HNL 21.75

107.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.97 HNL 26.13

43.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.52 HNL 40.85

119.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$1.96 HNL 52.6

200.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.34 HNL 35.88

38.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.14 HNL 30.67

81.58%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.62 HNL 43.40

80.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.44 HNL 38.64

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.65 HNL 44.20

21.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$2.67 HNL 71.6

116.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.30 HNL 34.78

59.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.41 HNL 37.79

226.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

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

$30.62 MX$520

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

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

$456 MX$7,739

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for El Progreso: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $25.00 in El Progreso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $46.00 per month, with El Progreso cheaper across the board.

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 Progreso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Progreso is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1066% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,515 in Mexico City and $216 in El Progreso to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 656% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in El Progreso – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $144 in El Progreso versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Progreso but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes El Progreso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, El Progreso is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find El Progreso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1066% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.