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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $567 in El Progreso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $893 in El Progreso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,219 in El Progreso.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 155% more expensive than El Progreso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, El Progreso is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$5.72 HNL 153

126.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$919

$24.78 HNL 661

112.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$165

$7.88 HNL 210

19.67%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$62.4

$1.47 HNL 39.24

142.86%

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

$1.61 MX$28.04

$1.01 HNL 26.89

59.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$20.16

$1.03 HNL 27.38

11.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$1.16 HNL 31.05

171.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$84.9

$1.99 HNL 53.0

144.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.69

$1.29 HNL 34.35

31.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$46.03

$2.08 HNL 55.5

26.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.25

$1.22 HNL 32.63

55.74%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.39

$2.04 HNL 54.4

24.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$4.45 HNL 119

126.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.89 HNL 104

113.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$202

$7.84 HNL 209

47.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.9

$2.97 HNL 79.3

2.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.87

$1.44 HNL 38.34

18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.79

$1.45 HNL 38.66

41.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.98

$1.52 HNL 40.51

35.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$36.06

$1.60 HNL 42.66

28.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.91

$1.35 HNL 35.88

60.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.51

$0.89 HNL 23.69

57.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.60

$1.67 HNL 44.45

-32.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$75.0

$2.47 HNL 65.9

73.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$29.25

$1.33 HNL 35.58

25.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$64.4

$1.80 HNL 48.01

105.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$333

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.12

$4.35 HNL 116

-68.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.83

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.37

$1.08 HNL 28.79

18.52%

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

$19.0K MX$331.6K

$19.5K HNL 520.2K

-2.75%

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

$23.5K MX$409.8K

$19.4K HNL 518.0K

20.73%

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

$41.02 MX$717

$80.7 HNL 2,150

-49.16%

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

$26.92 MX$470

$9.07 HNL 242

196.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$519

$41.37 HNL 1,103

-28.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$914

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$108

$5.73 HNL 153

7.85%

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

$427 MX$7,461

$245 HNL 6,538

74.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$45.56 HNL 1,214

24.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$783

$35.67 HNL 951

25.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,826

$111 HNL 2,952

-5.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,851

$103 HNL 2,750

2.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-5.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for El Progreso: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $25.00 in El Progreso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $181 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 155% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $850 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 59% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $567 in El Progreso – a 155% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $567 in El Progreso versus $1,447 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 155% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.