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 $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $675 in Itu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,216 in Itu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,758 in Itu, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 114% more than Itu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Itu is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.19 R$26.25

150.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$32.59 R$165

61.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$5.77 R$29.21

63.43%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.68 R$8.49

112.50%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.74 R$3.73

117.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.47 R$2.37

144.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.78 R$9.03

76.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.35 R$16.96

45.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.03 R$5.23

65.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.39 R$7.02

89.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.25 R$6.35

52.00%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.31 R$11.70

9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$8.10 R$41.03

24.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.52 R$17.80

135.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$5.54 R$28.02

108.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.59 R$8.07

90.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.28 R$6.47

33.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.75 R$3.81

173.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.59 R$8.06

29.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.92 R$4.64

123.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.09 R$5.52

99.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.70 R$3.53

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.46 R$2.34

143.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.68 R$13.59

60.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$5.88 R$29.76

162.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.37 R$6.93

21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.77 R$14.00

33.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.92 R$4.67

-58.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$38.22 R$194

-50.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.86 R$4.37

60.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.88 R$4.47

-68.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$8.53 R$43.19

-36.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.94 R$4.78

36.17%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$22.4K R$113.3K

-15.19%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$25.1K R$127.1K

-6.52%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$47.26 R$239

-13.20%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$10.66 R$54.0

152.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$15.26 R$77.3

94.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$22.74 R$115

130.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$21.28 R$108

23.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$4.45 R$22.55

38.88%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$317 R$1,603

34.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$6,888 R$34.9K

55.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$45.30 R$229

25.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$36.74 R$186

22.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$63.1 R$320

65.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$45.10 R$228

134.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$292 R$1,480

240.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$178 R$902

248.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$717 R$3,631

196.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$589 R$2,984

112.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,535 R$7,772

154.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,141 R$5,777

83.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$285 R$1,444

288.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.92

3.85%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Itu: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $292 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 288% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $33.00 in Itu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $161 – 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: $1,447 in Mexico City, $675 in Itu – roughly 114% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,013 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 $53.0 in Mexico City and $33.00 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 $1,447 in Mexico City and $675 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 $675, than in Mexico City at $1,447. 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 $675 in Itu to $1,447 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.