Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Escazu Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Escazu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,032 in Escazu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $2,800 in Escazu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $3,569 in Escazu.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 27% less than in Escazu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Escazu 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$10.96 ₡4,984

18.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$59.7 ₡27.2K

-11.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$9.90 ₡4,504

-1.82%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.90 ₡1,773

-3.85%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$2.06 ₡935

-23.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$1.66 ₡757

-31.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$3.02 ₡1,372

5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$4.65 ₡2,117

0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.06 ₡936

-21.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$2.75 ₡1,250

-1.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$2.21 ₡1,006

-14.93%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.94 ₡1,338

-14.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$9.86 ₡4,484

2.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$9.28 ₡4,219

-10.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$13.73 ₡6,243

-13.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$4.63 ₡2,106

-38.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.49 ₡678

17.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$4.21 ₡1,916

-50.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$3.20 ₡1,456

-38.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$3.57 ₡1,624

-39.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$3.24 ₡1,472

-32.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.95 ₡430

46.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$2.96 ₡1,344

-62.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$4.83 ₡2,196

-13.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$18.74 ₡8,522

-23.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.76 ₡802

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.73 ₡1,242

34.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.96 ₡438

-59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.66 ₡757

-16.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.77 ₡805

-83.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$8.10 ₡3,682

-33.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.39 ₡632

-2.88%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$31.4K ₡14.3M

-39.78%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$32.5K ₡14.8M

-28.74%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$66.2 ₡30.1K

-38.37%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$25.87 ₡11.8K

6.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$50.1 ₡22.8K

-39.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$108 ₡49.0K

-50.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$10.16 ₡4,621

158.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$9.78 ₡4,446

-35.89%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$580 ₡263.5K

-24.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$14.3K ₡6.5M

-26.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$61.7 ₡28.1K

-8.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$51.2 ₡23.3K

-12.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$126 ₡57.4K

-18.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$105 ₡47.9K

2.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$1,065 ₡484.5K

-6.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$1,059 ₡481.6K

-41.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$1,681 ₡764.3K

27.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$1,312 ₡596.4K

-5.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,625 ₡738.7K

137.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,132 ₡514.9K

105.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$1,759 ₡799.8K

-39.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.17

11.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Escazu: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $1,065 in Escazu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escazu pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $60.0 in Escazu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $359 per month, with Mexico City 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 Escazu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Escazu earns 65% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $1,065 in Escazu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Escazu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $2,032 in Escazu – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,032 in Escazu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Escazu. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Escazu 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Escazu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.