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: $1,481 in Mexico City versus $565 in El Progreso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,352 in Mexico City versus $896 in El Progreso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,222 in Mexico City versus $1,227 in El Progreso.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 162% more expensive than in El Progreso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, El Progreso is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$230

$5.87 HNL 157

124.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$938

$24.96 HNL 667

114.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$167

$7.76 HNL 208

23.07%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$65.2

$1.46 HNL 39.03

154.79%

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

$1.57 MX$27.45

$1.00 HNL 26.70

57.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.25

$0.98 HNL 26.18

18.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.8

$1.17 HNL 31.19

171.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$81.1

$1.99 HNL 53.1

132.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.87

$1.33 HNL 35.57

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.83

$2.10 HNL 56.1

24.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.08

$1.22 HNL 32.66

54.92%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.46

$2.10 HNL 56.2

23.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$174

$4.28 HNL 114

131.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$144

$3.69 HNL 98.7

122.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$206

$7.77 HNL 208

51.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.5

$3.00 HNL 80.4

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.52

$1.46 HNL 38.94

23.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.32

$1.44 HNL 38.46

43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.45

$1.59 HNL 42.45

23.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.29

$1.62 HNL 43.19

27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.08

$1.36 HNL 36.43

59.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.57

$0.83 HNL 22.28

68.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.82

$1.71 HNL 45.83

-37.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$72.1

$2.44 HNL 65.3

68.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$305

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.35

$1.29 HNL 34.46

30.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.9

$1.80 HNL 48.27

102.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.28

$4.25 HNL 114

-68.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$96.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.08 HNL 28.81

21.30%

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

$19.2K MX$335.7K

$19.5K HNL 521.1K

-1.63%

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

$23.7K MX$415.9K

$19.0K HNL 508.5K

24.90%

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

$41.14 MX$721

$81.4 HNL 2,176

-49.43%

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

$27.74 MX$486

$8.78 HNL 235

215.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$528

$40.49 HNL 1,083

-25.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$941

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$455

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$114

$5.93 HNL 159

9.44%

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

$437 MX$7,647

$246 HNL 6,584

77.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,022

$45.70 HNL 1,222

27.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$803

$35.35 HNL 945

29.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,777

$109 HNL 2,923

-7.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,866

$104 HNL 2,791

2.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.8K

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for El Progreso: July 19, 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 $291 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 162% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,222 in Mexico City and $848 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 61% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,481 per month in Mexico City versus $565 in El Progreso – a 162% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $565 in El Progreso versus $1,481 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 162% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.