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 $1,656 per month in Mexico City vs $883 in Granada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,619 per month in Mexico City vs $1,251 in Granada, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,581 per month in Mexico City vs $1,619 in Granada, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 88% more than Granada, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Granada is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$4.26 NIO 156

179.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 MX$903

$23.87 NIO 874

119.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 MX$183

$7.04 NIO 258

50.28%

Cappuccino

$3.90 MX$67.2

$1.77 NIO 64.9

120.34%

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

$1.69 MX$29.10

$0.87 NIO 31.97

94.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$22.84

$0.64 NIO 23.40

106.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$1.28 NIO 46.72

157.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 MX$97.2

$1.96 NIO 71.8

187.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 MX$30.73

$1.22 NIO 44.82

45.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 MX$53.7

$1.60 NIO 58.6

94.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.52

$0.53 NIO 19.56

288.68%

Eggs

$3.02 MX$52.1

$1.19 NIO 43.53

153.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 MX$220

$4.89 NIO 179

160.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.86 MX$170

$4.98 NIO 182

97.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 MX$269

$7.29 NIO 267

113.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 MX$58.8

$3.63 NIO 133

-6.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.71

$0.63 NIO 22.93

219.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.03

$1.82 NIO 66.7

14.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 MX$40.99

$0.97 NIO 35.61

145.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 MX$36.43

$2.80 NIO 103

-24.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.10

$0.98 NIO 35.76

89.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.73

$1.03 NIO 37.62

50.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.97

$1.08 NIO 39.53

23.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 MX$92.2

$2.74 NIO 100

95.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.21 MX$297

$10.17 NIO 372

69.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.84

$1.41 NIO 51.5

43.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 MX$81.6

$1.80 NIO 65.9

162.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.34

$0.11 NIO 4.08

236.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.51 MX$354

$3.89 NIO 143

427.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 MX$34.39

$0.59 NIO 21.44

237.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MX$9.56

$1.12 NIO 40.98

-50.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 MX$97.4

$6.98 NIO 256

-19.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$26.43

$1.34 NIO 49.05

14.18%

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

$22.7K MX$392.1K

$23.3K NIO 854.7K

-2.63%

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

$26.2K MX$452.2K

$26.6K NIO 973.0K

-1.35%

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

$65.7 MX$1,133

$110 NIO 4,032

-40.37%

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

$30.37 MX$524

$17.23 NIO 631

76.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.54 MX$613

$36.60 NIO 1,340

-2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 MX$983

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.18 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 MX$117

$8.57 NIO 314

-21.24%

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

$449 MX$7,744

$176 NIO 6,430

155.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$230.4K

$6,107 NIO 223.7K

118.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 MX$1,267

$14.90 NIO 546

392.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 MX$930

$30.18 NIO 1,105

78.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,916

$34.43 NIO 1,261

222.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,105

$36.05 NIO 1,320

238.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 MX$18.8K

$417 NIO 15.3K

161.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 MX$12.1K

$347 NIO 12.7K

102.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 MX$42.6K

$795 NIO 29.1K

210.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.3K

$515 NIO 18.9K

151.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,904 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,117 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,081 MX$18.6K

$136 NIO 4,970

696.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

10.25

10.73%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 1, 2026

Last update for Granada: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,090 in Mexico City versus $417 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 696% 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 $24.00 in Granada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $189 – 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: $1,656 in Mexico City, $883 in Granada – roughly 88% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,485 per month in Mexico City and $1,325 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 427% less in Granada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $449 per month in Mexico City and $176 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 $883, than in Mexico City at $1,656. 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 $883 in Granada to $1,656 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.