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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $768 in Gravataí.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,163 in Gravataí.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,558 in Gravataí.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 114% more expensive than in Gravataí, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Gravataí is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$204

$3.94 R$20.19

207.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$881

$18.56 R$95.1

181.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$6.55 R$33.55

66.41%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$1.92 R$9.83

110.94%

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

$1.72 MX$28.95

$1.40 R$7.16

22.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.25

$1.02 R$5.22

35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

$2.29 R$11.73

51.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

$2.86 R$14.65

103.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.28

$0.99 R$5.09

86.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$1.66 R$8.48

93.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.20

$1.09 R$5.56

91.74%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.10

$1.88 R$9.62

54.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$9.88 R$50.6

26.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$4.61 R$23.64

119.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$8.76 R$44.88

81.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.40 R$12.32

37.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.90

$1.31 R$6.70

62.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.97

$0.95 R$4.86

130.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.31

$1.59 R$8.16

54.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.95

$0.85 R$4.38

157.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.15

$1.05 R$5.36

80.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.26

$0.76 R$3.92

113.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.78

$0.80 R$4.09

68.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$2.34 R$12.01

132.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$7.70 R$39.47

128.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.90

$0.79 R$4.04

162.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

$0.99 R$5.06

379.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$1.42 R$7.27

-76.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

$48.55 R$249

-55.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.44

$1.22 R$6.23

67.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

$0.77 R$3.95

-24.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$8.10 R$41.50

-26.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.27

$1.10 R$5.63

47.27%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$18.9K R$96.8K

20.70%

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

$26.7K MX$450.0K

$24.8K R$127.0K

7.60%

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

$65.2 MX$1,101

$68.6 R$352

-4.93%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$7.71 R$39.53

287.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

$20.23 R$104

80.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

$24.72 R$127

146.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$26.58 R$136

0.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$6.80 R$34.86

0.74%

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

$453 MX$7,652

$147 R$755

207.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

$7,541 R$38.6K

77.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,265

$49.34 R$253

51.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$933

$57.2 R$293

-3.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,917

$54.7 R$280

107.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,070

$62.2 R$319

97.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

$262 R$1,342

332.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$195 R$1,002

264.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$494 R$2,529

420.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

$323 R$1,653

306.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

$1,641 R$8,408

143.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,149 R$5,888

82.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$602 R$3,083

74.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.5

-1.74%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Gravataí: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $262 in Gravataí. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 74% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $19.00 in Gravataí for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $188 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 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 74% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $262 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 $19.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $768 in Gravataí – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $768 in Gravataí versus $1,646 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 114% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.