Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and La Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and La Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $872 in La Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,501 in La Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,129 in La Plata, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 68% more than La Plata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while La Plata is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$11.95 ARS 17.1K

10.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$27.98 ARS 39.9K

92.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$5.29 ARS 7,544

78.07%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.94 ARS 4,190

20.75%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.78 ARS 1,112

107.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.72 ARS 1,033

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.03 ARS 1,464

202.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$3.92 ARS 5,597

18.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.22 ARS 1,741

39.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.60 ARS 2,276

70.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.60 ARS 2,285

19.37%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.18 ARS 3,108

16.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$7.51 ARS 10.7K

33.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.64 ARS 8,039

43.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$8.29 ARS 11.8K

40.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.44 ARS 3,484

21.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.82 ARS 2,600

-0.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.10 ARS 1,571

82.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$2.54 ARS 3,619

-20.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.77 ARS 1,097

175.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.16 ARS 1,654

95.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.81 ARS 2,581

-22.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.23 ARS 1,759

-8.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.93 ARS 4,179

45.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$5.07 ARS 7,238

206.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$2.21 ARS 3,149

-20.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$3.17 ARS 4,526

13.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.32 ARS 459

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.55 ARS 2,205

-10.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.89 ARS 1,271

-68.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$6.13 ARS 8,739

-11.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.92 ARS 1,319

41.30%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$25.1K ARS 35.9M

-25.69%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$28.5K ARS 40.7M

-18.94%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$35.88 ARS 51.2K

13.88%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$16.52 ARS 23.6K

62.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$23.40 ARS 33.4K

28.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$22.03 ARS 31.4K

136.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$13.72 ARS 19.6K

95.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$6.91 ARS 9,853

-8.83%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$323 ARS 460.7K

35.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$5,208 ARS 7.4M

100.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$92.4 ARS 131.8K

-38.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$85.0 ARS 121.3K

-47.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$120 ARS 171.1K

-14.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$133 ARS 189.0K

-20.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$301 ARS 429.8K

239.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$185 ARS 264.0K

240.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$649 ARS 925.2K

229.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$500 ARS 713.6K

148.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,992 ARS 2.8M

95.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,426 ARS 2.0M

44.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$655 ARS 933.9K

70.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

52.71

-78.49%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for La Plata: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $301 in La Plata. 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 70% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $28.00 in La Plata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $213 – making La Plata 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 La Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City, $872 in La Plata – roughly 68% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,309 in La Plata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Plata, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City and $28.00 in La Plata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in La Plata, where all-in costs run around $872, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In La Plata 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 $872 in La Plata to $1,467 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with La Plata. 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.