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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,633 in Madeira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $2,344 in Madeira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $3,055 in Madeira.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 3% more expensive than in Madeira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 22% above, Madeira 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$11.53 €9.94

5.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$46.11 €39.74

16.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$9.37 €8.08

18.36%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.06 €1.78

99.03%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.94 €1.68

-13.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$1.36 €1.17

2.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.33 €2.01

42.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$3.39 €2.92

73.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.11 €0.96

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.52 €1.31

108.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.66 €1.43

24.70%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$3.08 €2.66

-4.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$11.42 €9.85

10.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$7.70 €6.64

31.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$13.99 €12.06

15.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.37 €2.04

43.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.44 €1.24

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.83 €1.58

15.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$2.48 €2.14

-2.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.46 €1.26

45.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.84 €1.59

9.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.59 €1.37

-2.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.78 €0.68

74.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$6.21 €5.36

-7.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$5.16 €4.45

243.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.25 €1.07

65.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.29 €1.97

101.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$2.36 €2.03

-84.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$42.88 €36.97

-50.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$4.28 €3.69

-52.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.82 €0.71

-29.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$17.54 €15.12

-65.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.93 €1.66

-19.69%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$34.7K €29.9K

-34.10%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$40.0K €34.5K

-31.94%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$132 €114

-49.11%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$21.18 €18.25

44.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$42.41 €36.56

-12.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$43.51 €37.50

41.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$8.60 €7.41

-17.33%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$468 €403

-2.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$8,477 €7,308

61.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$73.6 €63.4

0.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$37.95 €32.71

50.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$93.4 €80.5

23.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$93.4 €80.5

30.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$933 €804

23.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$743 €641

-4.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$1,454 €1,253

77.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$1,136 €980

13.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$3,069 €2,646

30.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$2,337 €2,015

-8.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.01

125.55%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Madeira: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $933 in Madeira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $46.00 in Madeira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $245 per month, with Madeira 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 Madeira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madeira is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,515 in Mexico City and $2,449 in Madeira to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $933 in Madeira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,677 per month in Mexico City versus $1,633 in Madeira – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Madeira runs roughly 102% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,633 in Madeira versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Madeira but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Madeira the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Madeira 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 Madeira 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 Madeira gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.