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: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $2,033 in Escazu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $2,804 in Escazu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $3,574 in Escazu.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 29% less than in Escazu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Escazu 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$10.92 ₡4,925

18.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$58.7 ₡26.5K

-10.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$10.22 ₡4,611

-5.19%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$3.91 ₡1,762

-4.09%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$2.04 ₡919

-23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$1.65 ₡745

-29.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$2.95 ₡1,333

9.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$4.73 ₡2,133

3.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$2.07 ₡932

-17.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$2.86 ₡1,288

-6.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$2.13 ₡960

-11.27%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$3.01 ₡1,357

-16.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$9.92 ₡4,475

1.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$8.94 ₡4,035

-4.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$13.75 ₡6,202

-13.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$4.43 ₡1,997

-32.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.44 ₡650

24.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$4.32 ₡1,950

-53.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$3.19 ₡1,438

-38.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$3.55 ₡1,603

-39.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$3.12 ₡1,408

-27.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$1.01 ₡455

38.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$2.96 ₡1,336

-62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$4.96 ₡2,236

-15.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$18.40 ₡8,303

-10.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$1.73 ₡782

-2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$2.77 ₡1,249

29.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$0.94 ₡425

-58.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$1.66 ₡750

-16.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$1.87 ₡843

-83.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$8.06 ₡3,635

-33.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$1.40 ₡630

-7.86%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$31.4K ₡14.1M

-39.74%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$32.5K ₡14.7M

-26.74%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$65.5 ₡29.5K

-39.14%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$25.43 ₡11.5K

9.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$50.9 ₡22.9K

-41.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$107 ₡48.4K

-51.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$9.86 ₡4,450

165.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$9.70 ₡4,375

-35.36%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$560 ₡252.4K

-22.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$14.1K ₡6.4M

-25.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$61.6 ₡27.8K

-7.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$51.2 ₡23.1K

-11.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$124 ₡55.8K

-17.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$110 ₡49.4K

-0.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$1,067 ₡481.3K

-6.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$1,092 ₡492.5K

-43.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$1,631 ₡735.7K

27.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$1,307 ₡589.4K

-3.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$1,986 ₡895.7K

98.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$1,132 ₡510.8K

84.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$1,728 ₡779.4K

-34.52%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Escazu: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Mexico City and $1,067 in Escazu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escazu pays 53% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $59.0 in Escazu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $357 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 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Escazu earns 53% 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: $994 in Mexico City versus $1,067 in Escazu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Escazu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,448 per month in Mexico City versus $2,033 in Escazu – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,448 in Mexico City versus $2,033 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 40% less than in Escazu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.