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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,628 in Ilopango.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,859 in Ilopango.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,090 in Ilopango.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 10% less than in Ilopango, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Ilopango 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.14 $3.14

319.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$45.76 $45.76

17.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$5.11 $5.11

84.34%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$2.89 $2.89

22.84%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.92 $0.92

76.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.93 $0.93

19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$0.96 $0.96

225.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$1.73 $1.73

167.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$3.27 $3.27

-48.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$1.46 $1.46

86.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$2.97 $2.97

-35.69%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$2.94 $2.94

-13.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$4.87 $4.87

105.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$6.18 $6.18

30.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$9.81 $9.81

18.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$3.04 $3.04

-2.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.97 $1.97

-8.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.98 $1.98

1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$1.98 $1.98

2.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$2.04 $2.04

3.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$1.97 $1.97

15.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.97 $0.97

44.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.98 $0.98

15.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$3.91 $3.91

9.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$11.85 $11.85

31.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$0.98 $0.98

79.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$1.97 $1.97

82.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.56 $0.56

-32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$35.43 $35.43

-45.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$6.86 $6.86

-79.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$2.25 $2.25

-87.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$4.87 $4.87

11.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.67 $0.67

94.03%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$20.1K $20.1K

-7.01%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$25.4K $25.4K

-8.82%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$35.57 $35.57

14.87%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$10.10 $10.10

165.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$40.39 $40.39

-25.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$40.10 $40.10

29.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$10.04 $10.04

167.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$4.90 $4.90

28.57%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$106 $106

312.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$1,950 $1,950

434.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$20.30 $20.30

179.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$30.27 $30.27

46.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$73.7 $73.7

39.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$58.9 $58.9

79.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$663 $663

54.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$1,010 $1,010

-37.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$593 $593

260.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$621 $621

100.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$1,698 $1,698

129.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$963 $963

114.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$999 $999

11.58%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ilopango: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $663 in Ilopango. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 12% 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 $46.00 in Ilopango for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 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 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 12% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $663 in Ilopango. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $106 in Ilopango. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ilopango pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,467 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 11% less than in Ilopango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.