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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $717 in El Viejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,152 in El Viejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,588 in El Viejo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 102% more expensive than El Viejo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, El Viejo is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.02 NIO 184

158.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$34.76 NIO 1,273

51.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.88 NIO 252

37.06%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.43 NIO 89.1

46.91%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.80 NIO 29.35

101.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.73 NIO 26.83

57.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.29 NIO 47.28

144.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$1.97 NIO 72.3

146.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.22 NIO 44.68

39.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.48 NIO 90.8

6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.82 NIO 66.7

4.40%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.24 NIO 81.9

13.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$11.03 NIO 404

-8.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$6.49 NIO 238

27.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$8.02 NIO 294

44.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.94 NIO 144

-23.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$0.84 NIO 30.69

103.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.82 NIO 66.6

12.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$2.29 NIO 83.8

-10.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$3.83 NIO 140

-46.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.19 NIO 80.2

-0.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.06 NIO 38.86

32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.02 NIO 37.26

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.63 NIO 96.5

63.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$14.79 NIO 542

4.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.39 NIO 51.1

20.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.24 NIO 82.1

64.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.52 NIO 55.7

-9.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$6.76 NIO 248

-19.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.30 NIO 47.76

-1.54%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$22.8K NIO 836.0K

-16.85%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$25.9K NIO 949.7K

-9.52%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$97.2 NIO 3,558

-57.78%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$16.79 NIO 615

60.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$37.30 NIO 1,366

-20.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$8.08 NIO 296

-23.51%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$124 NIO 4,551

243.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$6,090 NIO 223.1K

75.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$76.5 NIO 2,800

-25.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$72.9 NIO 2,669

-38.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$131 NIO 4,809

-20.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$109 NIO 4,005

-3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.25

10.63%

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 Viejo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $35.00 in El Viejo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $260 per month, with El Viejo 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 Viejo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Viejo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,075 in El Viejo 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.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $124 in El Viejo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in El Viejo – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $717 in El Viejo versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Viejo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes El Viejo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, El Viejo 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and El Viejo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find El Viejo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.