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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $772 in Marabella.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,324 in Marabella.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,875 in Marabella.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 115% more expensive than in Marabella, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Marabella is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$10.51 TTD 70.7

13.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$59.2 TTD 398

-12.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.95 TTD 53.5

43.52%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.83 TTD 25.75

4.18%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.05 TTD 7.04

58.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.75 TTD 5.06

77.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.79 TTD 12.06

93.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.62 TTD 17.63

125.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.96 TTD 13.20

-4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.24 TTD 15.05

45.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.79 TTD 18.80

-22.58%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$3.85 TTD 25.89

-24.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$6.82 TTD 45.90

88.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$9.93 TTD 66.8

1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$9.09 TTD 61.1

74.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$5.61 TTD 37.74

-41.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$2.46 TTD 16.57

-18.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$3.78 TTD 25.40

-41.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$4.35 TTD 29.25

-45.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.71 TTD 4.80

188.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.70 TTD 4.74

171.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.43 TTD 9.65

12.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.15 TTD 7.71

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$5.52 TTD 37.13

-1.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$17.55 TTD 118

0.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.48 TTD 9.96

39.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.07 TTD 20.63

52.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.92 TTD 6.21

128.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.91 TTD 6.11

-38.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$14.83 TTD 99.8

-60.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.17 TTD 7.89

37.61%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$37.0K TTD 249.3K

-38.35%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$41.3K TTD 277.8K

-35.22%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$43.95 TTD 296

48.30%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$42.94 TTD 289

-29.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$44.80 TTD 301

-17.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$8.88 TTD 59.8

-20.72%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$405 TTD 2,722

14.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$10.8K TTD 72.8K

22.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$54.9 TTD 369

38.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$36.50 TTD 246

53.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$86.8 TTD 584

28.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$86.8 TTD 584

38.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.75

96.52%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Marabella: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $59.0 in Marabella. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $317, with Marabella cheaper for home cooking.

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 115% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $772 including rent). Marabella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $1,159 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $772 in Marabella – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $772 in Marabella versus $1,660 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 115% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.