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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,137 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,720 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,303 in Iasi, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 29% more than Iasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Iasi is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$10.52 RON 47.59

25.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$931

$51.4 RON 232

4.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.73 RON 30.46

39.97%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.3

$2.68 RON 12.13

32.46%

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

$1.62 MX$27.95

$2.08 RON 9.39

-22.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.25

$1.74 RON 7.88

-36.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$53.9

$2.46 RON 11.12

26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.0

$3.42 RON 15.47

35.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.40

$1.40 RON 6.33

21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$46.97

$1.22 RON 5.51

122.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.04

$1.87 RON 8.45

2.14%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.82

$3.21 RON 14.51

-20.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$173

$7.95 RON 35.98

26.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$6.70 RON 30.32

20.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$10.99 RON 49.71

5.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.24 RON 5.61

139.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.21

$1.62 RON 7.33

11.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.79

$1.73 RON 7.84

16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.16

$1.97 RON 8.90

3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.71

$0.99 RON 4.48

114.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.21

$1.05 RON 4.73

116.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.20

$1.04 RON 4.68

34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.53

$0.86 RON 3.89

31.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$6.37 RON 28.85

-32.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$6.61 RON 29.92

135.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.36

$1.09 RON 4.95

61.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.1

$1.98 RON 8.96

81.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.85 RON 3.84

-55.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$331

$27.13 RON 123

-29.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$0.89 RON 4.03

55.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.70 RON 3.16

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.1

$7.84 RON 35.48

-30.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.53

$1.66 RON 7.51

-21.69%

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

$18.7K MX$322.9K

$28.5K RON 129.2K

-34.52%

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

$23.1K MX$399.7K

$27.3K RON 123.7K

-15.39%

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

$40.86 MX$706

$156 RON 708

-73.86%

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

$26.81 MX$463

$8.47 RON 38.35

216.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$10.21 RON 46.22

193.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$899

$47.10 RON 213

10.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$18.25 RON 82.6

47.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$8.17 RON 36.99

-22.89%

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

$436 MX$7,536

$463 RON 2,095

-5.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.0K

$7,028 RON 31.8K

48.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$979

$62.3 RON 282

-9.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$767

$42.79 RON 194

3.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,779

$86.4 RON 391

19.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,823

$86.9 RON 393

21.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$474 RON 2,147

115.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$361 RON 1,635

74.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$750 RON 3,395

184.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$550 RON 2,491

125.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.4K

$3,076 RON 13.9K

26.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,997 RON 9,036

3.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$1,191 RON 5,389

-6.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.37

53.87%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $474 in Iasi. 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 7% higher in Iasi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $51.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $212 – making Iasi 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 Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City, $1,137 in Iasi – roughly 29% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,706 in Iasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 41% less in Iasi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $463 in Iasi. 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 Iasi, where all-in costs run around $1,137, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Iasi 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 $1,137 in Iasi to $1,467 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 Iasi. 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.