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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,253 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $3,312 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $4,370 in Forbes.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 34% less than in Forbes, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Forbes 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$16.01 A$22.42

-18.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$77.3 A$108

-31.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$9.55 A$13.37

1.78%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.38 A$4.74

10.95%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$2.61 A$3.66

-39.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$2.17 A$3.04

-47.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$6.52 A$9.13

-51.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$6.93 A$9.70

-32.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.42 A$1.98

14.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$2.43 A$3.40

11.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.98 A$2.77

-5.05%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$4.36 A$6.10

-42.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$8.64 A$12.10

16.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$8.62 A$12.06

-3.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$13.74 A$19.24

-13.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$3.24 A$4.53

-11.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.81 A$3.93

-37.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.95 A$4.13

-29.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$4.07 A$5.70

-51.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$2.39 A$3.34

-9.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.10 A$2.94

3.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$2.11 A$2.95

-34.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.53 A$2.14

-26.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$31.13 A$43.59

-86.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$13.48 A$18.87

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$4.48 A$6.27

-60.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$5.23 A$7.32

-29.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$2.62 A$3.67

-85.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$64.1 A$89.7

-70.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$3.54 A$4.95

-60.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.53 A$2.15

-80.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$33.24 A$46.54

-83.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.13 A$1.58

19.47%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$28.6K A$40.1K

-34.01%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$22.3K A$31.2K

3.84%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$186 A$260

-78.05%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$27.73 A$38.83

-0.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$53.2 A$74.5

-42.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$49.41 A$69.2

8.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$15.48 A$21.68

69.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$13.18 A$18.45

-52.43%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$1,600 A$2,240

-72.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$11.8K A$16.6K

-11.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$67.9 A$95.0

-16.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$51.2 A$71.7

-12.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$98.0 A$137

4.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$108 A$151

0.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$1,278 A$1,789

-21.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$1,070 A$1,499

-42.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$2,026 A$2,836

5.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$1,680 A$2,352

-26.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$6,262 A$8,767

-38.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$5,125 A$7,175

-54.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.34

78.86%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Forbes: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $1,278 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $77.0 in Forbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $337 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 52% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $2,253 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,225 in Mexico City and $3,380 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $1,278 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $2,253 in Forbes – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 243% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,253 in Forbes, a $2,000 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 52% less than in Forbes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.