Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Granada

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,561 a month against $1,656 in Granada, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Granada outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,561
/mo nomad
Granada
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,656
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Granada

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Granada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,561 per month in Mexico City vs $1,656 in Granada, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,561
  • Granada $1,656

A couple spends around $2,440 per month in Mexico City vs $2,314 in Granada, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,440
  • Granada $2,314

A family of three spends $3,319 per month in Mexico City vs $2,973 in Granada, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,319
  • Granada $2,973

Mexico City is about 6% cheaper than Granada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mexico City and Granada sit above the global median – Mexico City by 16%, Granada by 24%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Granada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.12 MX$204
$15.83 €14.13
-29.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.99 MX$900
$38.88 €34.70
26.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.23 MX$206
$9.22 €8.22
21.80%
Cappuccino
$3.76 MX$69.0
$2.31 €2.07
62.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 MX$30.34
$2.98 €2.66
-44.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.48
$2.25 €2.01
-43.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.26 MX$59.8
$3.43 €3.06
-4.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.66 MX$104
$4.51 €4.03
25.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Granada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 MX$33.23
$1.26 €1.12
43.65%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 MX$54.0
$1.44 €1.29
104.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.05 MX$37.62
$1.67 €1.49
22.75%
Eggs
$2.93 MX$53.7
$3.25 €2.90
-9.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.95 MX$219
$17.24 €15.38
-30.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.51 MX$175
$7.40 €6.61
28.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.84 MX$273
$14.94 €13.33
-0.67%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 MX$57.7
$2.54 €2.26
23.62%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 MX$36.99
$2.14 €1.91
-6.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.08 MX$38.10
$1.91 €1.71
8.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.22 MX$40.72
$2.39 €2.13
-7.11%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$37.82
$1.95 €1.74
5.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 MX$34.46
$2.15 €1.91
-12.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.18
$1.07 €0.95
38.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 MX$24.70
$0.73 €0.65
84.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.41 MX$99.3
$6.55 €5.84
-17.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.86 MX$310
$4.90 €4.37
244.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$36.43
$1.09 €0.97
81.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.32 MX$79.4
$1.63 €1.45
165.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Granada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.33
$1.78 €1.59
-80.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.23 MX$371
$39.72 €35.44
-49.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.10 MX$38.47
$5.47 €4.88
-61.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.74
$2.23 €1.99
-76.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 MX$99.3
$28.29 €25.25
-80.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$27.91
$1.70 €1.52
-10.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.7K MX$399.0K
$35.2K €31.4K
-38.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K MX$455.6K
$29.3K €26.2K
-15.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Granada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,156
$162 €145
-61.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.88 MX$530
$12.97 €11.57
122.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.93 MX$623
$26.81 €23.93
26.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Granada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 MX$1,024
$44.90 €40.07
24.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.90 MX$457
$19.92 €17.78
25.00%
Cinema Ticket
$6.77 MX$124
$8.97 €8.00
-24.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Granada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$428 MX$7,854
$347 €310
23.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K MX$218.0K
$7,876 €7,029
50.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Granada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.0 MX$1,286
$63.5 €56.7
10.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.7 MX$986
$33.05 €29.50
62.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 MX$2,016
$76.0 €67.8
44.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 MX$2,115
$89.4 €79.7
28.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Granada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,062 MX$19.5K
$882 €788
20.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 MX$12.3K
$718 €641
-6.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,379 MX$43.7K
$1,257 €1,122
89.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 MX$23.1K
$955 €853
31.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,716 MX$68.2K
$3,351 €2,990
10.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,976 MX$36.3K
$2,239 €1,998
-11.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Granada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$997 MX$18.3K
$1,870 €1,669
-46.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
3.32
240.36%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Last update for Granada: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$671
Granada
$718 7.1% $48
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$327
Granada
$267 18.3% $60
Eating Out
Mexico City
$207
Granada
$229 10.7% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$157
Granada
$118 24.9% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Granada
$202 60.7% $76
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$69
Granada
$63 9.4% $6.5
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Granada
$63 141% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Mexico City versus $882 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 88% higher in Granada, 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 $49.00 in Mexico City versus $39.00 in Granada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $267 – making Granada the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇪🇸 Granada
🕒 Local time
05:25 5:25 AM
13:25 1:25 PM
8 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
230,595
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Granada 9,190 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Granada

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Mexico City or Granada?
Granada costs about 6% more than Mexico City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mexico City and in Granada?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,341 per month in Mexico City and $2,484 in Granada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Mexico City or Granada?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Mexico City or in Granada?
Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Granada – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
How do dining costs compare in Mexico City and in Granada?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Mexico City and $39.00 in Granada. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Mexico City or in Granada?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,561, than in Granada at $1,656. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Granada it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mexico City or Granada?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,561 versus $1,656 in Granada. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Mexico City compared to Granada?
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.
Should I move to Mexico City or to Granada?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Granada makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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