šA single person spends $1,466 per month in Mexico City vs $421 in Imbabah, rent included.
šA couple spends around $2,325 per month in Mexico City vs $682 in Imbabah, rent included.
šA family of three spends $3,184 per month in Mexico City vs $943 in Imbabah, rent included.
šMexico City costs about 248% more than Imbabah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
šMexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Imbabah is 69% below ā they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
š½ Eating Out
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.30MX$231
$3.64EĀ£191
265.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.8MX$935
$15.95EĀ£839
237.24%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42MX$164
$4.53EĀ£238
107.95%
Cappuccino
$3.59MX$62.5
$1.50EĀ£78.9
139.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$28.23
$0.31EĀ£16.44
422.58%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.56
$0.11EĀ£5.64
918.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.25MX$56.5
$1.20EĀ£63.2
170.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.65MX$80.9
$2.98EĀ£157
56.04%
š Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64MX$28.47
$0.66EĀ£34.52
148.48%
White Bread(500g)
$2.65MX$46.16
$0.21EĀ£11.19
1161.90%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.96MX$34.10
$0.69EĀ£36.47
184.06%
Eggs
$2.54MX$44.24
$1.45EĀ£76.3
75.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.97MX$173
$1.49EĀ£78.6
569.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.39MX$146
$3.23EĀ£170
159.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.83MX$206
$6.97EĀ£367
69.73%
Apples(1kg)
$2.86MX$49.79
$1.41EĀ£74.4
102.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.73MX$30.15
$0.51EĀ£26.68
239.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.62
$0.38EĀ£20.16
423.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.05MX$35.63
$0.21EĀ£10.98
876.19%
Potato(1kg)
$2.06MX$35.77
$0.37EĀ£19.54
456.76%
Onion(1kg)
$2.28MX$39.68
$0.44EĀ£22.89
418.18%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.45MX$25.14
$0.10EĀ£5.35
1350.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.90
$0.17EĀ£8.95
541.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27MX$74.2
$1.73EĀ£91.3
146.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.67MX$255
$1.89EĀ£99.5
676.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.68
$1.36EĀ£71.7
29.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57MX$62.1
$2.03EĀ£107
75.86%
š Getting Around
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.38MX$6.69
$0.17EĀ£9.04
123.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.73MX$326
$14.72EĀ£775
27.24%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.39MX$24.17
$0.25EĀ£13.16
456.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30MX$5.28
$0.45EĀ£23.68
-33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.41MX$94.1
$2.04EĀ£107
165.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34MX$23.30
$0.25EĀ£13.23
436.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9KMX$327.8K
$35.5KEĀ£1.9M
-46.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KMX$403.4K
$33.5KEĀ£1.8M
-30.85%
š§¾ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.30MX$701
$11.40EĀ£600
253.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.15MX$472
$5.76EĀ£303
371.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$512
$10.16EĀ£535
189.96%
š Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.7MX$917
$21.92EĀ£1,153
140.60%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.17MX$455
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.18MX$107
$2.93EĀ£154
110.92%
š§ø Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$441MX$7,664
$23.24EĀ£1,223
1796.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.7KMX$186.0K
$997EĀ£52.4K
973.25%
šš Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.2MX$995
$15.83EĀ£833
261.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.04MX$783
$19.70EĀ£1,037
128.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,799
$108EĀ£5,699
-4.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109MX$1,891
$50.6EĀ£2,663
114.80%
š Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,000MX$17.4K
$191EĀ£10.0K
424.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$632MX$11.0K
$98.2EĀ£5,169
543.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,141MX$37.2K
$315EĀ£16.6K
580.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,253MX$21.8K
$178EĀ£9,381
602.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,745MX$65.1K
$783EĀ£41.2K
378.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,381MX$41.4K
$407EĀ£21.4K
485.38%
šµ Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,079MX$18.8K
$95.9EĀ£5,048
1024.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
17
-33.29%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input ā minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026
Last update for Imbabah: April 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
š A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $191 in Imbabah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
š°Salaries run about 1025% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
šA mid-range dinner for two costs $54 in Mexico City versus $16 in Imbabah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $91 ā making Imbabah 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 Imbabah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Mexico City and Imbabah compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,466 in Mexico City, $421 in Imbabah ā roughly 248% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Imbabah?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,199 per month in Mexico City and $632 in Imbabah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled ā not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Mexico City and Imbabah?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Imbabah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 216% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Imbabah, where all-in costs run around $421, than in Mexico City at $1,466. In Imbabah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Imbabah?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $421 in Imbabah to $1,466 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Mexico City and Imbabah?
If budget matters most, go with Imbabah. 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.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared