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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $817 in Imbituba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,310 in Imbituba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,802 in Imbituba.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 103% more expensive than in Imbituba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Imbituba is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$4.83 R$24.91

146.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$28.80 R$148

79.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$6.79 R$35.01

68.04%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.89 R$9.72

111.11%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.11 R$5.71

49.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.47 R$2.41

182.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.27 R$11.68

52.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.26 R$11.65

161.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$0.96 R$4.95

95.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.20 R$6.19

170.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.91 R$4.71

137.36%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.23 R$11.48

30.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.84 R$40.39

64.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.10 R$15.96

224.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$6.49 R$33.44

144.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.52 R$7.82

116.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$0.82 R$4.21

145.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.20 R$6.17

83.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.81 R$4.20

191.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.76 R$3.91

169.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.19 R$6.14

59.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.48 R$7.62

8.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.94 R$4.82

48.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$3.20 R$16.49

70.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$9.01 R$46.43

95.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.12 R$5.78

83.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.98 R$15.36

57.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$1.10 R$5.68

-69.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$39.82 R$205

-47.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.98 R$10.22

6.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.51 R$7.77

-62.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$9.62 R$49.58

-39.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.21 R$6.21

33.06%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$24.3K R$125.0K

-5.83%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$32.5K R$167.4K

-17.69%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$59.5 R$307

9.47%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$11.19 R$57.7

168.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$20.82 R$107

78.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$24.89 R$128

140.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$28.63 R$148

-7.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$8.49 R$43.74

-17.08%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$315 R$1,625

47.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$6,405 R$33.0K

107.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$45.72 R$236

65.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$89.2 R$460

-37.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$89.5 R$461

24.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$66.8 R$344

80.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$334 R$1,720

230.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$201 R$1,036

258.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$724 R$3,732

249.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$496 R$2,554

160.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,774 R$9,138

125.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$977 R$5,032

113.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.5

7.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Imbituba: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $334 in Imbituba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $29.00 in Imbituba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $165 per month, with Imbituba 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 Imbituba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Imbituba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $1,226 in Imbituba to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $334 in Imbituba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 109% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Imbituba – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $817 in Imbituba versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Imbituba but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Imbituba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Imbituba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.