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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $2,033 in Lija, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $3,009 in Lija, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $3,985 in Lija, rent included.

Mexico City is about 27% cheaper than Lija, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mexico City and Lija sit above the global median – Mexico City by 11%, Lija by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$20.13 €17.23

-35.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$69.6 €59.6

-23.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$11.76 €10.07

-17.35%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.73 €2.34

37.36%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$2.61 €2.24

-39.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$1.98 €1.69

-42.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$4.84 €4.14

-34.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$4.85 €4.15

-3.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.33 €1.14

21.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.51 €1.29

79.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$3.49 €2.99

-46.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$3.64 €3.11

-31.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$9.56 €8.18

5.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$10.74 €9.19

-22.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$13.73 €11.75

-13.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$3.36 €2.88

-14.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.07 €1.77

-15.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.78 €2.38

-25.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$3.30 €2.82

-40.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.86 €1.59

16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.87 €2.46

-24.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.94 €1.66

-28.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.30 €1.11

-13.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$6.51 €5.57

-35.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$6.20 €5.31

129.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.27 €1.95

-22.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.79 €1.53

105.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$2.68 €2.29

-85.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$8.33 €7.13

-83.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.95 €1.67

-84.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$35.29 €30.21

-84.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.56 €1.34

-13.46%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$26.4K €22.6K

-28.36%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$41.7K €35.7K

-44.46%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$166 €142

-75.44%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$30.30 €25.94

-9.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$32.62 €27.92

-6.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$63.0 €53.9

-15.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$23.31 €19.95

12.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$15.11 €12.93

-58.50%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$265 €227

64.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$12.6K €10.8K

-16.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$101 €86.5

-43.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$39.20 €33.56

14.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$147 €126

-30.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$102 €87.7

5.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$1,122 €960

-10.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$955 €818

-35.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$1,953 €1,672

9.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$1,518 €1,299

-18.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$4,217 €3,609

-8.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$2,912 €2,492

-19.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.43

108.84%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lija: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $1,122 in Lija. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $70.0 in Lija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $299 – making Mexico City 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 Lija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City, $2,033 in Lija – roughly 37% apart. Lija costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $3,050 in Lija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,484 in Mexico City and $2,033 in Lija. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $265 in Lija. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Lija at $2,033. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lija 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 $1,484 in Mexico City to $2,033 in Lija. 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 Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lija makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.