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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,156 in Manzanillo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,789 in Manzanillo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,423 in Manzanillo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 25% more expensive than Manzanillo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Manzanillo is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$10.43 MX$179

24.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$35.90 MX$616

46.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$11.01 MX$189

-14.35%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.91 MX$49.97

22.68%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.22 MX$20.88

31.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$1.28 MX$21.91

-10.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.08 MX$35.70

51.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.71 MX$63.7

31.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.38 MX$23.76

23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.51 MX$43.00

5.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.34 MX$22.98

41.79%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.95 MX$33.50

30.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$6.69 MX$115

50.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.41 MX$92.9

53.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$9.43 MX$162

22.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.42 MX$41.49

25.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.43 MX$24.57

19.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.46 MX$25.07

40.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.61 MX$27.58

27.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.48 MX$42.63

-16.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.82 MX$48.33

-23.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.99 MX$34.24

-29.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.14 MX$19.49

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$5.10 MX$87.6

-15.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$6.72 MX$115

129.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.52 MX$43.25

-33.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.45 MX$42.12

50.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.59 MX$10.20

-35.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.42 MX$41.46

-42.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.59 MX$27.21

-82.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$8.43 MX$145

-35.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.32 MX$22.71

-3.03%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$21.0K MX$360.2K

-9.55%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$22.6K MX$388.6K

3.62%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$124 MX$2,127

-66.90%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$15.96 MX$274

68.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$24.65 MX$423

20.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$28.68 MX$492

82.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$15.90 MX$273

64.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.95 MX$67.8

56.46%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$52.7 MX$904

710.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,659 MX$62.8K

192.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$48.13 MX$826

18.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$28.71 MX$493

56.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$121 MX$2,072

-13.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$131 MX$2,242

-18.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$704 MX$12.1K

41.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$401 MX$6,875

55.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$950 MX$16.3K

123.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$767 MX$13.2K

63.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,874 MX$32.2K

108.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,115 MX$19.1K

87.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$396 MX$6,788

179.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.07

2.44%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Manzanillo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $704 in Manzanillo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 180% 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 $36.00 in Manzanillo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $228 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 25% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,156 including rent). Manzanillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 180% 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 $704 in Manzanillo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $1,156 in Manzanillo – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,156 in Manzanillo versus $1,447 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 25% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.