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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,621 in Madeira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $2,384 in Madeira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $3,148 in Madeira.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 10% less than in Madeira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Madeira 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$227

$11.60 €10.17

12.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$46.26 €40.56

16.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$168

$9.37 €8.22

3.31%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.18 €1.91

71.56%

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

$1.62 MX$28.12

$1.87 €1.64

-13.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.22

$1.38 €1.21

-15.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.36 €2.07

36.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$3.55 €3.11

33.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.67

$1.09 €0.96

51.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.92

$1.59 €1.39

72.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.62

$1.66 €1.46

12.65%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.51

$3.15 €2.76

-20.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$11.14 €9.76

-8.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.56 €6.63

9.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$13.99 €12.27

-15.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.30 €2.01

30.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.53

$1.49 €1.31

21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.79

$1.77 €1.55

12.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.72

$2.51 €2.20

-20.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.28

$1.48 €1.30

40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.54

$1.85 €1.62

22.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.35

$1.60 €1.40

-8.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.80 €0.70

35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$6.18 €5.42

-29.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$5.33 €4.68

218.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.17

$1.31 €1.15

32.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.33 €2.04

53.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$2.29 €2.01

-82.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$41.94 €36.77

-55.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.07

$4.25 €3.72

-68.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.82 €0.72

-65.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.4

$17.49 €15.34

-69.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.26

$1.90 €1.66

-29.47%

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

$19.4K MX$337.8K

$34.4K €30.2K

-43.60%

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

$23.8K MX$414.8K

$38.8K €34.0K

-38.59%

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

$40.69 MX$708

$133 €117

-69.49%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$21.25 €18.63

26.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$42.37 €37.15

-27.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$44.86 €39.33

17.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$8.28 €7.26

-21.38%

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

$428 MX$7,450

$464 €407

-7.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.7K

$8,467 €7,424

24.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$996

$72.8 €63.8

-21.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$39.07 €34.26

16.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,811

$93.4 €81.9

11.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,877

$92.2 €80.8

17.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$921 €808

8.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$738 €647

-15.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$1,470 €1,289

43.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$1,161 €1,018

4.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,988 €2,619

30.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$2,359 €2,068

-13.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.01

126.35%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Madeira: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $921 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 $292 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

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,185 in Mexico City and $2,431 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $921 in Madeira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $1,621 in Madeira – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 124% less than in Madeira. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,621 in Madeira, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Madeira. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Madeira, 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Madeira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.