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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,466 in Mexico City versus $752 in Gravataí.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Mexico City versus $1,080 in Gravataí.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Mexico City versus $1,407 in Gravataí.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 95% more expensive than Gravataí, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Gravataí is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$231

$5.86 R$29.13

126.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$17.15 R$85.2

213.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.25 R$31.06

50.72%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$1.70 R$8.43

111.18%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.14 R$5.66

42.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.82 R$4.07

36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$1.82 R$9.06

78.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

$3.64 R$18.11

27.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.78 R$3.86

110.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$1.43 R$7.12

85.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.99

$0.92 R$4.57

113.04%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.08

$1.50 R$7.44

69.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

$11.12 R$55.3

-10.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

$2.76 R$13.72

203.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

$6.02 R$29.91

96.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

$1.98 R$9.86

44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.05

$1.23 R$6.11

40.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

$0.94 R$4.67

111.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.51

$1.51 R$7.48

35.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.85 R$4.22

142.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.54

$1.06 R$5.29

115.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

$0.71 R$3.53

104.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

$0.62 R$3.06

75.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.97 R$9.77

116.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

$7.96 R$39.55

84.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

$0.69 R$3.42

155.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

$0.88 R$4.39

305.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

$0.89 R$4.40

-57.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

$37.92 R$188

-50.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

$1.60 R$7.94

-13.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

$1.06 R$5.25

-71.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

$5.33 R$26.48

1.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$0.98 R$4.89

36.73%

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

$19.3K R$96.0K

-2.36%

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

$27.2K R$135.3K

-14.77%

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

$40.30 MX$698

$60.1 R$299

-32.93%

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

$27.15 MX$471

$9.18 R$45.64

195.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$510

$20.34 R$101

44.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

$15.39 R$76.5

242.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

$21.83 R$108

19.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

$6.19 R$30.75

-0.16%

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

$441 MX$7,637

$140 R$694

215.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

$1,707 R$8,484

526.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$992

$50.0 R$248

14.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$781

$57.8 R$287

-22.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$47.83 R$238

116.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$62.9 R$313

72.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

$320 R$1,593

211.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

$214 R$1,066

194.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

$422 R$2,096

407.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.7K

$244 R$1,211

414.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

$1,654 R$8,220

126.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

$1,195 R$5,940

99.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

$654 R$3,250

65.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Last update for Gravataí: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $320 in Gravataí. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54 in Mexico City vs $17 in Gravataí for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $162 per month, with Gravataí 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 Gravataí: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gravataí is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 65% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $320 in Gravataí. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Gravataí – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,466 per month in Mexico City versus $752 in Gravataí – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $752 in Gravataí versus $1,466 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gravataí but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Gravataí the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gravataí is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Gravataí gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.