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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $688 in Ilheus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,120 in Ilheus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,552 in Ilheus, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 114% more than Ilheus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Ilheus is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.77 R$19.14

248.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$26.82 R$136

99.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$6.19 R$31.39

50.73%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.81 R$9.20

104.42%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.11 R$5.65

44.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.61 R$3.11

83.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.78 R$9.05

76.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.75 R$13.95

76.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.03 R$5.22

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.45 R$7.36

86.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.19 R$6.05

60.50%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.93 R$9.80

34.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$17.08 R$86.7

-42.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$3.65 R$18.54

130.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$7.27 R$36.90

64.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.08 R$10.57

41.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.29 R$6.55

34.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.20 R$6.08

70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.50 R$7.59

37.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.15 R$5.84

86.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.06 R$5.40

113.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.69 R$3.50

101.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.67 R$3.41

67.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.10 R$10.63

100.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$7.52 R$38.15

132.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.21 R$6.13

41.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.00 R$10.15

81.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.93 R$4.74

-62.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$37.78 R$192

-48.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.11 R$5.61

24.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.70 R$3.55

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$6.26 R$31.77

-15.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.00 R$5.05

36.00%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$20.6K R$104.3K

-7.04%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$27.8K R$141.1K

-15.08%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$61.2 R$310

-33.75%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$13.70 R$69.5

99.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$18.62 R$94.5

63.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$22.11 R$112

136.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$21.80 R$111

21.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$6.42 R$32.60

-3.58%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$265 R$1,344

60.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$6,376 R$32.4K

68.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$49.83 R$253

17.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$42.09 R$214

5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$76.3 R$387

35.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$65.5 R$333

65.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$167 R$846

508.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$118 R$599

427.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$301 R$1,528

604.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$227 R$1,153

438.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,426 R$7,237

165.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,276 R$6,473

65.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$595 R$3,021

76.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.92

3.85%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Ilheus: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $167 in Ilheus. 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 77% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $27.00 in Ilheus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $201 – making Ilheus 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 Ilheus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City, $688 in Ilheus – roughly 114% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,032 in Ilheus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 46% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $27.00 in Ilheus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ilheus, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In Ilheus 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 $688 in Ilheus to $1,472 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ilheus. 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.