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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $916 in Manta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,547 in Manta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $2,177 in Manta.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 62% more expensive than 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

$12.98 MX$227

$3.57 $3.57

263.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$44.13 $44.13

20.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$6.98 $6.98

39.26%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.35 $2.35

59.57%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.91 $0.91

72.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.66 $0.66

71.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.78 $1.78

78.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$3.03 $3.03

53.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.09 $1.09

48.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.75 $1.75

54.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.65 $1.65

13.94%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.47 $2.47

1.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$5.98 $5.98

68.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.19 $5.19

59.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$6.13 $6.13

94.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.09 $2.09

36.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.08 $1.08

62.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.10 $1.10

89.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.08 $1.08

82.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.97 $0.97

122.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.40 $1.40

55.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.73 $0.73

90.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.01 $1.01

10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$6.14 $6.14

-31.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$7.06 $7.06

101.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.51 $1.51

16.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.97 $1.97

86.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.36 $0.36

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$23.62 $23.62

-21.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.79 $1.79

-22.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.97 $1.97

-84.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$9.99 $9.99

-45.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.61 $0.61

121.31%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$20.3K $20.3K

-6.99%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$24.4K $24.4K

-5.21%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$38.09 $38.09

7.17%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$12.12 $12.12

126.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$31.28 $31.28

-2.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$40.47 $40.47

32.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$14.40 $14.40

82.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$6.83 $6.83

-8.20%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$236 $236

84.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$5,827 $5,827

79.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$51.3 $51.3

10.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$42.96 $42.96

4.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$104 $104

-0.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$90.1 $90.1

19.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$454 $454

120.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$335 $335

85.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$474 $474

350.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$765 $765

61.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,183 $1,183

226.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,195 $1,195

95.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$468 $468

127.93%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Manta: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $454 in Manta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 128% 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 $44.00 in Manta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 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 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 128% 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 $454 in Manta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $236 in Manta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $916 in Manta versus $1,484 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 62% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.