😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $1,309 in Ioannina.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $2,015 in Ioannina.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $2,722 in Ioannina.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 11% more expensive than Ioannina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Ioannina is 2% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Ioannina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.96MX$223
$17.56€15.12
-26.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.3MX$900
$34.21€29.46
52.97%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.69MX$167
$9.67€8.33
0.21%
Cappuccino
$3.75MX$64.6
$3.86€3.33
-2.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56MX$26.91
$2.28€1.97
-31.58%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16MX$19.93
$0.55€0.48
110.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.24MX$55.8
$4.53€3.90
-28.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.90MX$84.3
$5.77€4.97
-15.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Ioannina
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70MX$29.29
$1.47€1.27
15.65%
White Bread(500g)
$2.67MX$45.90
$1.24€1.07
115.32%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.89MX$32.49
$2.39€2.06
-20.92%
Eggs
$2.52MX$43.37
$3.45€2.97
-26.96%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.02MX$172
$10.53€9.07
-4.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.53MX$147
$8.00€6.89
6.62%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.94MX$205
$10.85€9.34
10.05%
Apples(1kg)
$2.97MX$51.1
$2.06€1.77
44.17%
Banana(1kg)
$1.79MX$30.88
$1.87€1.61
-4.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.00MX$34.40
$1.22€1.05
63.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.96MX$33.74
$2.32€1.99
-15.52%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.21
$1.20€1.03
80.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.27MX$39.04
$1.01€0.87
124.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.40MX$24.14
$1.06€0.91
32.08%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11MX$19.18
$0.86€0.74
29.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20MX$72.2
$5.46€4.70
-23.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.54MX$285
$7.16€6.16
131.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68MX$28.94
$1.93€1.66
-12.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59MX$61.8
$2.69€2.31
33.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Ioannina
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39MX$6.65
$1.59€1.37
-75.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.19MX$330
$34.86€30.02
-44.95%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.38MX$23.77
$4.54€3.91
-69.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30MX$5.19
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.39MX$92.7
$7.03€6.06
-23.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29MX$22.13
$2.09€1.80
-38.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9KMX$325.1K
$24.8K€21.3K
-23.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8KMX$409.5K
$26.5K€22.8K
-10.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Ioannina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$39.86MX$686
$215€185
-81.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.83MX$479
$20.40€17.57
36.42%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.77MX$512
$31.14€26.82
-4.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Ioannina
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.0MX$894
$46.68€40.20
11.31%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.22MX$451
$45.58€39.25
-42.47%
Cinema Ticket
$6.27MX$108
$9.20€7.92
-31.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Ioannina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$433MX$7,443
$350€301
23.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5KMX$181.3K
$8,344€7,185
26.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Ioannina
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.0MX$981
$70.4€60.6
-18.99%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.33MX$780
$37.99€32.71
19.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102MX$1,753
$79.1€68.1
28.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109MX$1,867
$115€99.2
-5.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Ioannina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$994MX$17.1K
$409€352
143.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$617MX$10.6K
$302€260
104.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,086MX$35.9K
$704€606
196.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,256MX$21.6K
$549€473
128.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,936MX$67.7K
$3,077€2,649
27.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,089MX$35.9K
$2,594€2,234
-19.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Ioannina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,131MX$19.5K
$1,124€968
0.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
4.68
142.31%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026
Last update for Ioannina: June 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Mexico City and $409 in Ioannina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mexico City pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $34.00 in Ioannina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $242 per month, with Ioannina 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 Ioannina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Ioannina?
Mexico City and Ioannina differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,448 vs $1,309 including rent). Ioannina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Mexico City or Ioannina?
Mexico City pays 1% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Ioannina?
Rent for a central apartment: $994 in Mexico City versus $409 in Ioannina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Ioannina?
Childcare runs $433 in Mexico City versus $350 in Ioannina. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,309 in Ioannina versus $1,448 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ioannina but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ioannina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Ioannina?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Mexico City or Ioannina safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Ioannina are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Ioannina?
Expats usually find Ioannina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared