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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $919 in Marabella.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,634 in Marabella.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,348 in Marabella.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 57% more expensive than Marabella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Marabella is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$10.54 TTD 71.3

23.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$87.5 TTD 592

-39.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.18 TTD 48.56

31.34%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.73 TTD 25.25

-4.29%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.05 TTD 7.11

53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.81 TTD 5.49

41.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.83 TTD 12.40

72.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.16 TTD 21.38

53.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.68 TTD 18.15

-36.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.82 TTD 19.07

-6.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.66 TTD 17.98

-28.57%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$5.12 TTD 34.62

-50.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$7.98 TTD 54.0

26.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$10.55 TTD 71.4

-21.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$14.12 TTD 95.5

-18.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$5.79 TTD 39.15

-47.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.59 TTD 17.50

-33.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$4.19 TTD 28.32

-51.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$4.68 TTD 31.61

-55.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.42 TTD 9.58

45.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.71 TTD 11.55

26.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.89 TTD 12.78

-25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.46 TTD 9.88

-23.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$5.84 TTD 39.51

-26.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$18.51 TTD 125

-16.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.20 TTD 14.89

-24.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.74 TTD 18.50

34.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.06 TTD 7.15

30.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.27 TTD 8.59

-77.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$14.80 TTD 100

-63.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.10 TTD 7.41

16.36%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$33.4K TTD 225.6K

-43.11%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$38.4K TTD 259.9K

-38.97%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$79.5 TTD 538

-48.42%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$46.75 TTD 316

-42.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$61.7 TTD 417

-51.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$9.99 TTD 67.6

-38.14%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$331 TTD 2,237

29.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,219 TTD 48.8K

48.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$58.4 TTD 395

-2.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$38.37 TTD 259

16.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$145 TTD 983

-28.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$130 TTD 882

-18.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.38

110.78%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Marabella: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $88.0 in Marabella for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $376 per month, with Mexico City 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 Marabella: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Marabella differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $919 including rent). Marabella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,379 in Marabella to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Mexico City pay roughly 31% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $919 in Marabella – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $919 in Marabella versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marabella but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Marabella 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 Marabella gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.