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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,591 per month in Mexico City vs $727 in Itu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Mexico City vs $1,339 in Itu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,365 per month in Mexico City vs $1,952 in Itu, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 119% more than Itu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 18% above the global median, while Itu is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.06 MX$219

$5.53 R$28.89

118.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 MX$923

$38.09 R$199

33.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$198

$6.04 R$31.54

80.46%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$68.2

$1.84 R$9.59

103.80%

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

$1.61 MX$29.28

$0.76 R$3.95

111.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$23.89

$0.46 R$2.39

186.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 MX$61.1

$2.41 R$12.60

39.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 MX$103

$4.55 R$23.74

25.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MX$32.14

$1.02 R$5.32

73.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$55.9

$1.43 R$7.45

115.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 MX$35.70

$1.13 R$5.92

74.34%

Eggs

$2.79 MX$50.7

$2.62 R$13.71

6.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.92 MX$216

$8.78 R$45.87

35.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 MX$171

$3.81 R$19.91

146.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 MX$278

$5.62 R$29.36

172.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 MX$57.3

$1.71 R$8.92

84.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 MX$35.96

$1.30 R$6.81

52.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$37.60

$0.74 R$3.88

179.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 MX$42.26

$1.80 R$9.39

29.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$37.57

$0.94 R$4.90

120.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 MX$34.91

$1.36 R$7.13

41.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 MX$27.67

$0.75 R$3.90

102.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$24.05

$0.50 R$2.59

164.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.26 MX$95.5

$2.66 R$13.89

97.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.84 MX$306

$5.79 R$30.22

190.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 MX$35.43

$1.62 R$8.48

20.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$79.4

$2.90 R$15.17

50.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.20

$0.94 R$4.93

-63.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.99 MX$363

$38.91 R$203

-48.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 MX$35.87

$0.98 R$5.10

102.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 MX$10.42

$0.98 R$5.13

-41.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$98.5

$8.96 R$46.78

-39.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$27.74

$0.93 R$4.84

64.52%

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

$21.5K MX$390.2K

$22.8K R$119.0K

-5.68%

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

$25.3K MX$460.0K

$27.2K R$142.1K

-6.92%

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

$61.5 MX$1,117

$43.99 R$230

39.85%

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

$27.38 MX$497

$11.31 R$59.0

142.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.93 MX$634

$15.95 R$83.3

119.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 MX$1,032

$25.37 R$132

123.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.27 MX$459

$27.09 R$141

-6.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 MX$124

$4.66 R$24.34

46.78%

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

$438 MX$7,958

$421 R$2,200

4.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K MX$233.2K

$7,354 R$38.4K

74.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 MX$1,293

$48.15 R$251

47.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 MX$976

$38.73 R$202

38.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$1,983

$67.4 R$352

61.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,120

$47.45 R$248

146.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 MX$19.1K

$306 R$1,600

242.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$686 MX$12.5K

$194 R$1,012

254.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,410 MX$43.8K

$753 R$3,933

219.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 MX$22.8K

$640 R$3,345

96.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,814 MX$69.2K

$1,585 R$8,279

140.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,994 MX$36.2K

$1,103 R$5,759

80.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$998 MX$18.1K

$282 R$1,474

253.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.12

1.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 26, 2026

Last update for Itu: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,050 in Mexico City versus $306 in Itu. 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 254% 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 $51.0 in Mexico City versus $38.00 in Itu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $170 – making Itu 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 Itu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,591 in Mexico City, $727 in Itu – roughly 119% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,386 per month in Mexico City and $1,090 in Itu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Itu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Mexico City and $38.00 in Itu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,591 in Mexico City and $727 in Itu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Itu, where all-in costs run around $727, than in Mexico City at $1,591. In Itu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $727 in Itu to $1,591 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Itu. 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.