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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,653 in Lousã, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $2,447 in Lousã, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $3,241 in Lousã, rent included.

Mexico City and Lousã have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Mexico City and Lousã sit above the global median – Mexico City by 21%, Lousã by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$204

$13.75 €11.92

-13.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$885

$49.03 €42.49

5.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$9.05 €7.84

26.08%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.5

$2.15 €1.87

85.58%

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

$1.66 MX$28.45

$2.09 €1.81

-20.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.74

$1.54 €1.33

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.5

$2.26 €1.96

53.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$2.96 €2.56

99.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.18

$1.09 €0.94

72.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.8

$1.62 €1.41

100.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.05

$1.83 €1.58

18.03%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.66

$2.99 €2.59

-3.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$220

$11.95 €10.35

7.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$172

$7.59 €6.58

32.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$15.09 €13.08

5.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.5

$2.03 €1.76

62.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.40

$1.62 €1.41

24.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.86 €1.61

18.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.40

$2.50 €2.17

-5.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.23

$1.63 €1.41

25.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.60

$2.02 €1.75

-5.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.52

$1.58 €1.37

1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.95

$0.75 €0.65

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.7

$6.50 €5.63

-16.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$4.59 €3.97

284.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.24

$1.35 €1.17

52.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.3

$2.24 €1.94

108.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.80

$2.60 €2.25

-86.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$42.68 €36.98

-51.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.95

$4.44 €3.85

-52.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.59

$1.48 €1.28

-62.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.7

$14.34 €12.42

-59.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.53

$2.14 €1.85

-24.77%

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

$22.8K MX$391.6K

$35.1K €30.4K

-34.85%

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

$26.8K MX$458.6K

$38.8K €33.6K

-31.02%

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

$65.2 MX$1,117

$107 €93.1

-39.33%

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

$30.09 MX$516

$18.23 €15.80

65.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$637

$34.21 €29.65

8.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,024

$40.71 €35.28

46.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$455

$19.50 €16.90

36.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$8.47 €7.34

-16.88%

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

$465 MX$7,967

$468 €406

-0.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.6K

$6,468 €5,605

105.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,301

$99.0 €85.8

-23.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$959

$37.13 €32.18

50.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,918

$79.5 €68.9

40.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,066

$106 €91.6

14.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$1,009 €874

9.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$776 €672

-7.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$1,567 €1,358

61.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$1,220 €1,058

5.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.4K

$2,854 €2,473

39.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.8K

$2,382 €2,064

-12.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.7

205.41%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lousã: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $1,009 in Lousã. 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $49.00 in Lousã. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $250 – making Lousã 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 Lousã: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $2,480 in Lousã. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 38% 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.

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Mexico City and $468 in Lousã. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lousã, where all-in costs run around $1,653, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Lousã 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 $1,653 in Lousã to $1,660 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 Lousã. 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.