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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $821 in Granada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $1,207 in Granada, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $1,594 in Granada, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 76% more than Granada, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Granada is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$225

$4.21 NIO 154

207.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$908

$33.03 NIO 1,210

58.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$168

$7.06 NIO 259

37.25%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.1

$2.09 NIO 76.7

79.43%

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

$1.56 MX$27.14

$0.83 NIO 30.44

87.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.10

$0.68 NIO 24.91

70.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$56.3

$1.28 NIO 46.99

153.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$85.0

$2.05 NIO 75.0

139.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.54

$1.20 NIO 43.85

41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$46.30

$1.19 NIO 43.52

124.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.77

$0.76 NIO 27.82

148.68%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.74

$1.46 NIO 53.4

72.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$174

$4.03 NIO 147

148.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$148

$4.84 NIO 177

76.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$207

$8.22 NIO 301

45.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.6

$3.98 NIO 146

-25.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.14

$0.89 NIO 32.47

101.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.69

$1.82 NIO 66.8

9.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.03

$0.90 NIO 33.00

117.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.53

$2.30 NIO 84.1

-6.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.38

$1.09 NIO 39.85

108.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.34

$1.01 NIO 37.02

38.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.34

$1.00 NIO 36.79

11.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.9

$2.58 NIO 94.7

62.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$287

$10.09 NIO 370

63.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.19

$1.46 NIO 53.3

15.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$62.3

$1.60 NIO 58.8

124.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$0.11 NIO 4.09

254.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

$4.04 NIO 148

375.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.98

$0.57 NIO 20.91

142.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.24

$0.57 NIO 20.92

-47.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$93.5

$6.70 NIO 246

-19.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.32

$1.30 NIO 47.78

-0.77%

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

$18.9K MX$327.9K

$22.8K NIO 834.9K

-17.11%

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

$23.8K MX$413.0K

$26.0K NIO 952.7K

-8.51%

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

$39.86 MX$692

$100 NIO 3,666

-60.18%

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

$27.83 MX$483

$17.32 NIO 634

60.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$517

$36.70 NIO 1,344

-18.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$902

$35.70 NIO 1,307

45.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$455

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$7.90 NIO 289

-20.63%

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

$433 MX$7,508

$122 NIO 4,467

254.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.9K

$5,892 NIO 215.8K

78.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$989

$14.87 NIO 544

283.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$787

$30.21 NIO 1,107

50.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,768

$35.34 NIO 1,294

188.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,883

$35.37 NIO 1,295

206.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.2K

$379 NIO 13.9K

162.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.7K

$272 NIO 9,948

127.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$36.2K

$593 NIO 21.7K

251.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.8K

$443 NIO 16.2K

183.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$36.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.6K

$170 NIO 6,219

566.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.25

10.63%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Granada: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $379 in Granada. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 566% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $33.00 in Granada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $187 – making Granada the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Granada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,448 in Mexico City, $821 in Granada – roughly 76% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $1,231 in Granada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Granada, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 375% less in Granada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Mexico City and $122 in Granada. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Granada, where all-in costs run around $821, than in Mexico City at $1,448. In Granada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $821 in Granada to $1,448 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Granada. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.