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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $2,047 in Escazu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $2,851 in Escazu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $3,655 in Escazu.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 28% less than in Escazu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Escazu 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$10.73 ₡4,813

22.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$60.8 ₡27.3K

-12.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$9.79 ₡4,391

-4.70%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.89 ₡1,745

-4.88%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.98 ₡888

-19.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$1.65 ₡741

-32.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$3.00 ₡1,344

4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$4.60 ₡2,062

5.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.95 ₡876

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$2.76 ₡1,239

-1.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.20 ₡988

-13.18%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$3.03 ₡1,357

-14.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$10.15 ₡4,551

-3.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$9.02 ₡4,045

-6.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$13.49 ₡6,051

-11.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$4.37 ₡1,959

-32.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.52 ₡683

14.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$4.37 ₡1,960

-53.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$3.28 ₡1,473

-37.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$3.50 ₡1,570

-38.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$3.24 ₡1,455

-30.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.95 ₡427

46.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$2.94 ₡1,316

-61.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$5.06 ₡2,271

-16.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$19.00 ₡8,521

-7.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.73 ₡776

-1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.69 ₡1,208

34.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.97 ₡434

-63.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.75 ₡786

-21.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.79 ₡802

-84.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$7.77 ₡3,485

-32.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.41 ₡634

-3.55%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$31.1K ₡13.9M

-38.53%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$32.0K ₡14.3M

-26.17%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$66.7 ₡29.9K

-39.20%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$25.68 ₡11.5K

6.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$50.8 ₡22.8K

-40.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$105 ₡47.1K

-50.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$10.18 ₡4,564

160.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$9.82 ₡4,404

-36.97%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$565 ₡253.5K

-24.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$14.3K ₡6.4M

-24.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$62.4 ₡28.0K

-6.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$50.7 ₡22.7K

-12.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$126 ₡56.4K

-17.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$106 ₡47.6K

2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$1,062 ₡476.0K

-4.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$1,056 ₡473.4K

-41.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$1,652 ₡740.8K

28.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$1,302 ₡583.7K

-6.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,380 ₡618.8K

174.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,232 ₡552.4K

71.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$1,783 ₡799.7K

-41.00%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Escazu: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $1,062 in Escazu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escazu pays 69% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $61.0 in Escazu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 69% lower in Escazu. 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $1,062 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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $2,047 in Escazu – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $2,047 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 39% less than in Escazu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.