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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,224 in Luquillo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,968 in Luquillo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $2,711 in Luquillo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 21% more expensive than Luquillo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Luquillo is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$18.91 $18.91

-31.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$75.7 $75.7

-29.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$7.72 $7.72

25.91%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.55 $3.55

5.63%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$1.27 $1.27

23.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$1.04 $1.04

8.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$3.02 $3.02

5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.06 $2.06

126.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.38 $2.38

-31.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$3.25 $3.25

-16.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$2.20 $2.20

-14.55%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$6.00 $6.00

-58.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$8.67 $8.67

16.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$8.53 $8.53

-2.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$12.81 $12.81

-6.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$6.04 $6.04

-52.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.76 $2.76

-36.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$3.82 $3.82

-45.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$4.00 $4.00

-50.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$4.08 $4.08

-47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.61 $2.61

-16.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.51 $1.51

-7.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.92 $1.92

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$12.07 $12.07

-65.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$11.97 $11.97

19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.49 $2.49

-29.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$3.18 $3.18

15.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$60.8 $60.8

-69.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.51 $1.51

-80.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$15.16 $15.16

-64.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.83 $0.83

62.65%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$36.2K $36.2K

-47.86%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$26.2K $26.2K

-11.76%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$225 $225

-81.85%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$80.6 $80.6

-65.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$75.1 $75.1

-59.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$37.48 $37.48

42.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$11.87 $11.87

-47.18%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$462 $462

-5.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$10.3K $10.3K

1.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$45.28 $45.28

25.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$56.6 $56.6

-20.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$80.6 $80.6

27.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$106 $106

1.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$823 $823

21.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$1,832 $1,832

16.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$2,977 $2,977

-64.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.73

139.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Luquillo: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $823 in Luquillo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luquillo pays 179% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $76.0 in Luquillo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $368 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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 Luquillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Luquillo is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Luquillo earns 179% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $823 in Luquillo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $1,224 in Luquillo – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Luquillo runs roughly 226% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,224 in Luquillo versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Luquillo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Luquillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Luquillo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Luquillo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Luquillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.