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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Mexico City versus $1,192 in Manzanillo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,619 in Mexico City versus $1,515 in Manzanillo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,581 in Mexico City versus $1,837 in Manzanillo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 39% more expensive than in Manzanillo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Manzanillo is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$11.48 MX$198

3.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 MX$903

$35.06 MX$605

49.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 MX$183

$11.44 MX$197

-7.52%

Cappuccino

$3.90 MX$67.2

$3.62 MX$62.4

7.73%

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

$1.69 MX$29.10

$1.35 MX$23.35

25.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$22.84

$1.26 MX$21.70

4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$2.62 MX$45.22

25.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 MX$97.2

$5.64 MX$97.3

-0.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 MX$30.73

$1.42 MX$24.48

25.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 MX$53.7

$2.70 MX$46.61

15.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.52

$1.45 MX$24.95

42.07%

Eggs

$3.02 MX$52.1

$2.13 MX$36.75

41.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 MX$220

$7.15 MX$123

78.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.86 MX$170

$5.91 MX$102

66.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 MX$269

$10.25 MX$177

52.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 MX$58.8

$2.64 MX$45.50

29.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.71

$1.57 MX$27.07

28.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.03

$1.60 MX$27.66

30.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 MX$40.99

$1.76 MX$30.31

35.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 MX$36.43

$2.68 MX$46.21

-21.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.10

$3.07 MX$52.9

-39.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.73

$2.26 MX$39.08

-31.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.97

$1.45 MX$25.01

-8.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 MX$92.2

$5.95 MX$103

-10.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.21 MX$297

$7.06 MX$122

143.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.84

$2.39 MX$41.26

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 MX$81.6

$2.76 MX$47.61

71.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.34

$0.81 MX$13.91

-54.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.51 MX$354

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 MX$34.39

$2.57 MX$44.31

-22.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MX$9.56

$2.68 MX$46.23

-79.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 MX$97.4

$11.72 MX$202

-51.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$26.43

$1.56 MX$26.94

-1.92%

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

$22.7K MX$392.1K

$22.5K MX$388.0K

1.05%

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

$26.2K MX$452.2K

$25.0K MX$431.7K

4.74%

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

$65.7 MX$1,133

$70.4 MX$1,215

-6.76%

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

$30.37 MX$524

$22.90 MX$395

32.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.54 MX$613

$26.90 MX$464

32.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 MX$983

$68.6 MX$1,183

-16.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.18 MX$452

$34.66 MX$598

-24.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 MX$117

$4.29 MX$74.0

57.34%

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

$449 MX$7,744

$201 MX$3,476

122.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$230.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 MX$1,267

$47.02 MX$811

56.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 MX$930

$30.58 MX$528

76.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,916

$83.6 MX$1,442

32.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,105

$142 MX$2,447

-13.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 MX$18.8K

$701 MX$12.1K

55.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 MX$12.1K

$403 MX$6,959

73.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 MX$42.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,904 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,117 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,081 MX$18.6K

$409 MX$7,060

164.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

11.3

0.44%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 1, 2026

Last update for Manzanillo: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,090 in Mexico City and $701 in Manzanillo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 164% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $35.00 in Manzanillo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $247 per month, with Manzanillo 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 Manzanillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Manzanillo differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $1,192 including rent). Manzanillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 164% 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: $1,090 in Mexico City versus $701 in Manzanillo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,656 per month in Mexico City versus $1,192 in Manzanillo – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,192 in Manzanillo versus $1,656 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manzanillo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Manzanillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Manzanillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.