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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $929 in Manta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,558 in Manta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,187 in Manta.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 56% more expensive than Manta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Manta is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.49 $3.49

271.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$45.11 $45.11

16.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.09 $7.09

33.00%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.37 $2.37

50.63%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.85 $0.85

89.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.61 $0.61

88.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.78 $1.78

76.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.02 $3.02

60.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.13 $1.13

50.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.75 $1.75

50.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.65 $1.65

15.15%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.49 $2.49

2.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$5.84 $5.84

72.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.10 $5.10

62.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$6.32 $6.32

83.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.03 $2.03

49.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.05 $1.05

62.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.04 $1.04

97.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.08 $1.08

90.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.97 $0.97

112.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.39 $1.39

56.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.70 $0.70

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.02 $1.02

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$6.04 $6.04

-28.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$7.19 $7.19

114.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.47 $1.47

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.04 $2.04

80.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.33 $0.33

15.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$23.95 $23.95

-20.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.79 $1.79

-22.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.96 $1.96

-85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$9.92 $9.92

-45.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.67 $0.67

91.04%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$20.0K $20.0K

-4.98%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$24.5K $24.5K

-4.05%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$37.58 $37.58

9.15%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$11.94 $11.94

125.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$31.86 $31.86

-6.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$39.77 $39.77

31.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$14.71 $14.71

78.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.94 $6.94

-10.95%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$240 $240

77.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$5,904 $5,904

81.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$51.1 $51.1

11.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$43.70 $43.70

2.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$102 $102

2.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$90.1 $90.1

17.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$471 $471

110.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$335 $335

85.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$473 $473

349.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$768 $768

63.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$476 $476

132.63%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Manta: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $471 in Manta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 133% 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 $45.00 in Manta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 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 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 133% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $471 in Manta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $240 in Manta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $929 in Manta versus $1,447 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 56% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.