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: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $1,296 in Luquillo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $2,074 in Luquillo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $2,852 in Luquillo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 30% more expensive than in Luquillo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 23% above, Luquillo is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$17.84 $17.84

-33.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$81.8 $81.8

-36.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$8.96 $8.96

21.32%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$3.47 $3.47

16.14%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$1.59 $1.59

7.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$1.33 $1.33

0.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$3.04 $3.04

11.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$2.23 $2.23

157.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$2.29 $2.29

-17.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$3.22 $3.22

-1.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$2.34 $2.34

-12.39%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$6.90 $6.90

-56.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$12.34 $12.34

2.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$8.53 $8.53

16.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$13.15 $13.15

21.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$5.17 $5.17

-36.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$2.55 $2.55

-19.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$5.00 $5.00

-58.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$4.75 $4.75

-47.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$3.72 $3.72

-44.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$2.69 $2.69

-30.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$1.43 $1.43

9.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$1.59 $1.59

-12.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$11.94 $11.94

-54.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$11.84 $11.84

51.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$3.07 $3.07

-34.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$4.06 $4.06

17.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

$59.6 $59.6

-65.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$2.46 $2.46

-16.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$1.48 $1.48

-62.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$41.98 $41.98

-86.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$0.79 $0.79

94.94%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$40.6K $40.6K

-44.64%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$27.8K $27.8K

-4.76%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$245 $245

-73.08%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$76.4 $76.4

-59.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$71.0 $71.0

-48.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$37.34 $37.34

54.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$10.66 $10.66

-33.11%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$871 $871

-47.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$12.9K $12.9K

3.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$57.2 $57.2

32.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$62.0 $62.0

-12.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$82.4 $82.4

41.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$116 $116

5.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$803 $803

42.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$3,020 $3,020

-64.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

4.73

139.96%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Luquillo: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $803 in Luquillo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luquillo pays 183% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $82.0 in Luquillo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $385 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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 183% lower in Luquillo. 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: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $803 in Luquillo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,682 per month in Mexico City versus $1,296 in Luquillo – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Luquillo runs roughly 186% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,296 in Luquillo versus $1,682 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 30% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.