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 $1,682 per month in Mexico City vs $722 in Itu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,599 per month in Mexico City vs $1,311 in Itu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,516 per month in Mexico City vs $1,899 in Itu, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 133% more than Itu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 23% above the global median, while Itu is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$5.53 R$28.70

113.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$38.99 R$202

33.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$6.10 R$31.67

78.20%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$1.80 R$9.37

123.89%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$0.76 R$3.94

125.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$0.47 R$2.43

185.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.37 R$12.33

43.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$4.49 R$23.32

27.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.08 R$5.59

75.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.40 R$7.28

126.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$1.16 R$6.02

76.72%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$2.64 R$13.71

14.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$8.63 R$44.83

46.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$3.76 R$19.54

164.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$5.85 R$30.40

173.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$1.69 R$8.78

94.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.31 R$6.81

57.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$0.75 R$3.90

178.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$1.81 R$9.42

38.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$0.92 R$4.79

122.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$1.36 R$7.06

37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$0.79 R$4.12

98.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$0.46 R$2.40

202.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$2.76 R$14.32

94.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$5.60 R$29.07

220.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$1.63 R$8.48

23.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$2.90 R$15.07

64.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$0.94 R$4.86

-61.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

$45.52 R$236

-54.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$0.93 R$4.83

121.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$0.98 R$5.10

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$9.26 R$48.06

-37.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$0.94 R$4.88

63.83%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$23.0K R$119.6K

-2.52%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$26.5K R$137.4K

0.07%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$44.96 R$233

46.73%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$11.71 R$60.8

164.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$16.53 R$85.8

119.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$25.07 R$130

129.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

$26.26 R$136

1.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$4.88 R$25.33

46.11%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$421 R$2,184

8.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$7,380 R$38.3K

79.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$48.33 R$251

56.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$37.74 R$196

43.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$67.3 R$349

73.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$47.41 R$246

156.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$308 R$1,597

273.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$192 R$997

277.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$759 R$3,943

229.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$640 R$3,325

107.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$1,612 R$8,373

141.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$1,158 R$6,014

85.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$283 R$1,468

278.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

11.12

2.07%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Itu: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,147 in Mexico City versus $308 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 278% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $39.00 in Itu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 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: $1,682 in Mexico City, $722 in Itu – roughly 133% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,523 per month in Mexico City and $1,083 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 $52.0 in Mexico City and $39.00 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 $1,682 in Mexico City and $722 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 $722, than in Mexico City at $1,682. 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 $722 in Itu to $1,682 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.