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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $425 in Imbabah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $671 in Imbabah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $918 in Imbabah, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 247% more than Imbabah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Imbabah is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.14 MX$227
$3.52 E£177
273.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.5 MX$926
$15.64 E£787
242.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.33 MX$161
$4.66 E£234
100.21%
Cappuccino
$3.70 MX$64.0
$1.43 E£71.8
158.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 MX$27.76
$0.29 E£14.45
451.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 MX$19.34
$0.12 E£6.16
833.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.14 MX$54.3
$1.17 E£58.9
168.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.85 MX$83.9
$3.00 E£151
61.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 MX$28.61
$0.65 E£32.54
153.85%
White Bread (500g)
$2.71 MX$46.96
$0.22 E£11.13
1131.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 MX$33.03
$0.66 E£33.39
189.39%
Eggs
$2.59 MX$44.81
$1.40 E£70.3
85.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.81 MX$170
$1.44 E£72.6
581.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$146
$3.08 E£155
173.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.93 MX$206
$6.76 E£340
76.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$51.1
$1.41 E£71.1
109.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 MX$30.10
$0.50 E£25.23
248.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.04 MX$35.38
$0.39 E£19.61
423.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$35.64
$0.17 E£8.65
1111.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.15 MX$37.20
$0.37 E£18.82
481.08%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 MX$39.02
$0.41 E£20.54
451.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.39 MX$23.97
$0.09 E£4.31
1444.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12 MX$19.31
$0.18 E£8.93
522.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.22 MX$73.0
$1.77 E£88.9
138.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.51 MX$303
$1.96 E£98.4
793.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 MX$29.58
$1.38 E£69.5
23.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 MX$62.8
$2.00 E£100
81.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.35 MX$6.10
$0.17 E£8.64
105.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.32 MX$334
$14.86 E£747
30.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.38 MX$23.80
$0.23 E£11.47
500.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 MX$4.77
$0.42 E£21.28
-33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.28 MX$91.3
$2.00 E£100
164.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 MX$23.50
$0.25 E£12.61
444.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.1K MX$330.5K
$35.6K E£1.8M
-46.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K MX$408.4K
$32.7K E£1.6M
-27.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.53 MX$701
$11.28 E£567
259.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.38 MX$474
$5.87 E£295
366.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 MX$526
$10.21 E£514
197.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 MX$903
$22.14 E£1,113
135.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.48 MX$458
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.19 MX$107
$2.93 E£147
111.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$425 MX$7,355
$23.81 E£1,198
1685.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K MX$185.7K
$970 E£48.8K
1007.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.3 MX$1,009
$15.92 E£801
266.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.57 MX$771
$19.58 E£985
127.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 MX$1,791
$111 E£5,565
-6.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 MX$1,881
$51.3 E£2,579
112.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,014 MX$17.5K
$191 E£9,583
432.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$623 MX$10.8K
$100 E£5,053
519.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,119 MX$36.7K
$306 E£15.4K
591.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,223 MX$21.2K
$179 E£9,014
582.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,792 MX$65.6K
$801 E£40.3K
373.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,110 MX$36.5K
$457 E£23.0K
361.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Imbabah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,052 MX$18.2K
$100 E£5,046
948.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.34
17
-33.29%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Imbabah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 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.

Salaries run about 949% 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 $16.00 in Imbabah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $89.0 – 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 in Imbabah compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City, $425 in Imbabah – roughly 247% 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 $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $637 in Imbabah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – 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 231% 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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $16.00 in Imbabah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Imbabah, where all-in costs run around $425, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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 $425 in Imbabah to $1,472 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.

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