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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Mexico City versus $2,546 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,619 in Mexico City versus $3,615 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,581 in Mexico City versus $4,685 in Forbes.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 35% less than in Forbes, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 22% above, Forbes 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$18.19 A$25.80

-34.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 MX$903

$76.4 A$108

-31.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 MX$183

$10.04 A$14.24

5.38%

Cappuccino

$3.90 MX$67.2

$4.40 A$6.25

-11.36%

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

$1.69 MX$29.10

$3.09 A$4.39

-45.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$22.84

$2.06 A$2.92

-35.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$6.63 A$9.41

-50.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 MX$97.2

$7.03 A$9.97

-19.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 MX$30.73

$1.79 A$2.54

-0.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 MX$53.7

$2.30 A$3.26

35.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.52

$2.13 A$3.03

-3.29%

Eggs

$3.02 MX$52.1

$5.42 A$7.69

-44.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 MX$220

$10.12 A$14.36

25.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.86 MX$170

$8.62 A$12.23

14.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 MX$269

$13.34 A$18.92

16.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 MX$58.8

$4.06 A$5.76

-16.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.71

$3.45 A$4.89

-41.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.03

$3.80 A$5.39

-45.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 MX$40.99

$4.01 A$5.69

-40.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 MX$36.43

$2.39 A$3.39

-11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.10

$2.23 A$3.16

-16.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.73

$2.46 A$3.49

-36.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.97

$1.63 A$2.31

-18.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 MX$92.2

$36.40 A$51.6

-85.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.21 MX$297

$13.33 A$18.91

29.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.84

$5.07 A$7.19

-60.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 MX$81.6

$5.30 A$7.51

-10.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.34

$2.92 A$4.14

-87.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.51 MX$354

$89.1 A$126

-76.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 MX$34.39

$3.57 A$5.06

-44.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MX$9.56

$1.73 A$2.46

-68.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 MX$97.4

$39.45 A$56.0

-85.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$26.43

$1.08 A$1.53

41.67%

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

$22.7K MX$392.1K

$25.1K A$35.6K

-9.53%

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

$26.2K MX$452.2K

$27.2K A$38.6K

-3.71%

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

$65.7 MX$1,133

$217 A$308

-69.71%

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

$30.37 MX$524

$31.05 A$44.05

-2.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.54 MX$613

$51.7 A$73.4

-31.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 MX$983

$63.5 A$90.1

-10.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.18 MX$452

$16.44 A$23.32

59.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 MX$117

$15.82 A$22.44

-57.33%

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

$449 MX$7,744

$2,286 A$3,243

-80.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$230.4K

$19.9K A$28.2K

-32.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 MX$1,267

$86.6 A$123

-15.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 MX$930

$61.1 A$86.7

-11.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,916

$104 A$147

7.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,105

$138 A$196

-11.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 MX$18.8K

$1,471 A$2,087

-25.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 MX$12.1K

$1,103 A$1,565

-36.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 MX$42.6K

$2,458 A$3,488

0.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.3K

$1,944 A$2,758

-33.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,904 MX$67.4K

$5,674 A$8,049

-31.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,117 MX$36.5K

$4,938 A$7,004

-57.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,081 MX$18.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

5.81

95.35%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 1, 2026

Last update for Forbes: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,090 in Mexico City and $1,471 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $76.0 in Forbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $365 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 Forbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Forbes differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $2,546 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,485 in Mexico City and $3,819 in Forbes 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,090 in Mexico City versus $1,471 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,656 per month in Mexico City versus $2,546 in Forbes – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 334% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,656 in Mexico City versus $2,546 in Forbes, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Forbes. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Forbes 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 54% less than in Forbes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.