Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Maceio - Alagoas Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Maceio - Alagoas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $829 in Maceio - Alagoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,243 in Maceio - Alagoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,656 in Maceio - Alagoas.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 79% more expensive than Maceio - Alagoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Maceio - Alagoas is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$4.76 R$23.77

172.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$21.33 R$106

148.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$5.34 R$26.63

82.02%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.81 R$9.05

107.18%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.96 R$4.81

63.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.42 R$2.12

169.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.43 R$7.12

122.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.56 R$12.76

82.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.07 R$5.33

51.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.25 R$6.24

116.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.95 R$4.76

97.89%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.28 R$11.40

10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$6.57 R$32.76

53.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.32 R$16.58

149.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$7.15 R$35.68

66.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.49 R$12.44

14.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.03 R$5.13

69.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.29 R$6.43

61.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.27 R$6.32

55.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.33 R$6.64

62.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.12 R$5.61

94.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.57 R$2.86

143.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.62 R$3.09

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$1.90 R$9.50

121.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$7.04 R$35.12

102.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.39 R$6.93

26.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.29 R$6.44

185.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.74 R$3.70

-47.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$39.18 R$195

-52.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.37 R$1.85

275.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.35 R$1.76

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$6.23 R$31.08

-13.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.10 R$5.48

22.73%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$25.4K R$127.0K

-25.78%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$29.2K R$145.6K

-20.66%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$73.6 R$367

-44.55%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$17.56 R$87.6

56.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$15.76 R$78.6

92.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$22.81 R$114

134.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$21.49 R$107

22.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$5.42 R$27.07

15.68%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$236 R$1,176

85.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$4,929 R$24.6K

112.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$49.58 R$247

14.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$69.7 R$348

-35.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$90.9 R$453

13.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$72.6 R$362

48.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$246 R$1,229

305.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$252 R$1,259

145.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$537 R$2,682

297.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$407 R$2,030

203.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,559 R$7,779

147.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$709 R$3,537

229.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$611 R$3,048

74.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.5

19.37%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Maceio - Alagoas: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $246 in Maceio - Alagoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 75% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $21.00 in Maceio - Alagoas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $164 per month, with Maceio - Alagoas 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 Maceio - Alagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maceio - Alagoas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 75% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $246 in Maceio - Alagoas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Maceio - Alagoas – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $829 in Maceio - Alagoas versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maceio - Alagoas but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Maceio - Alagoas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maceio - Alagoas 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.

Expats usually find Maceio - Alagoas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.