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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,628 in Ilopango.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,856 in Ilopango.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,084 in Ilopango.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 11% less than in Ilopango, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Ilopango 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.16 $3.16

313.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$44.55 $44.55

20.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$5.07 $5.07

90.93%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.96 $2.96

26.35%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.87 $0.87

86.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.91 $0.91

27.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$0.98 $0.98

229.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$1.71 $1.71

177.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$3.18 $3.18

-48.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.47 $1.47

87.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$2.93 $2.93

-36.18%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$3.08 $3.08

-18.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$4.86 $4.86

109.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$5.82 $5.82

41.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$10.06 $10.06

17.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$3.03 $3.03

-0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$2.03 $2.03

-10.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.98 $1.98

1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.97 $1.97

1.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$2.01 $2.01

3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.95 $1.95

16.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.92 $0.92

58.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.02 $1.02

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$3.97 $3.97

9.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$12.05 $12.05

41.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.03 $1.03

67.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.98 $1.98

80.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.61 $0.61

-36.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$34.47 $34.47

-45.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$7.07 $7.07

-81.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$2.18 $2.18

-87.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$4.85 $4.85

8.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.62 $0.62

116.13%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$20.5K $20.5K

-5.09%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$26.1K $26.1K

-8.65%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$35.32 $35.32

15.20%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$10.05 $10.05

167.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$39.50 $39.50

-22.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$40.74 $40.74

29.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$10.20 $10.20

161.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$5.01 $5.01

29.94%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$103 $103

314.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$1,886 $1,886

456.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$19.93 $19.93

187.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$30.43 $30.43

49.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$75.1 $75.1

38.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$60.0 $60.0

79.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$661 $661

51.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$1,016 $1,016

-38.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$600 $600

251.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$619 $619

96.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$1,684 $1,684

130.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$946 $946

114.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$1,006 $1,006

3.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

89.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ilopango: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $661 in Ilopango. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $45.00 in Ilopango for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $249 per month, with Ilopango 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 Ilopango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $661 in Ilopango. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $103 in Ilopango. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ilopango pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,628 in Ilopango, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Ilopango. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Ilopango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.