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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $902 in Manta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,533 in Manta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,165 in Manta.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 63% more expensive than in Manta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Manta is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.53 $3.53

272.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$45.05 $45.05

18.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$6.82 $6.82

36.80%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.38 $2.38

55.46%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.90 $0.90

77.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.66 $0.66

69.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.80 $1.80

74.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$3.03 $3.03

60.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.12 $1.12

47.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.77 $1.77

53.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.71 $1.71

11.70%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.40 $2.40

7.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$6.14 $6.14

59.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.10 $5.10

65.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$6.19 $6.19

92.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.06 $2.06

43.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.09 $1.09

59.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.06 $1.06

92.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.08 $1.08

90.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.01 $1.01

112.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.47 $1.47

53.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.68 $0.68

104.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.02 $1.02

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$6.16 $6.16

-31.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$6.86 $6.86

155.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.46 $1.46

17.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.02 $2.02

79.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.33 $0.33

6.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$23.68 $23.68

-18.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.80 $1.80

-23.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.99 $1.99

-85.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$9.64 $9.64

-45.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.61 $0.61

122.95%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$20.1K $20.1K

-5.10%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$23.7K $23.7K

-0.55%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$36.83 $36.83

10.05%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$12.23 $12.23

123.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$31.85 $31.85

-4.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$39.96 $39.96

30.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$14.70 $14.70

80.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$7.03 $7.03

-11.95%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$235 $235

80.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$5,854 $5,854

83.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$51.5 $51.5

13.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$43.71 $43.71

1.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$101 $101

2.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$91.0 $91.0

19.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$456 $456

122.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$341 $341

82.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$478 $478

342.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$746 $746

63.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$474 $474

121.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.35

21.28%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Manta: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $456 in Manta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 122% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $45.00 in Manta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $180 per month, with Manta 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 Manta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 122% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $456 in Manta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $235 in Manta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $902 in Manta versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manta but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Manta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Manta 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 Manta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.