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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $935 in Marabella.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,625 in Marabella.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,315 in Marabella.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Marabella is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$229

$10.46 TTD 70.6

25.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$934

$89.2 TTD 602

-39.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$163

$7.23 TTD 48.75

29.05%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.5

$3.59 TTD 24.23

3.06%

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

$1.60 MX$27.98

$1.06 TTD 7.14

50.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.77 TTD 5.20

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.84 TTD 12.38

70.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

$3.04 TTD 20.52

59.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.84

$2.64 TTD 17.81

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$2.82 TTD 19.01

-3.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.29

$2.66 TTD 17.92

-28.20%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.17

$5.11 TTD 34.48

-49.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$171

$7.74 TTD 52.2

26.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$10.51 TTD 70.9

-19.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

$14.15 TTD 95.5

-15.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$5.68 TTD 38.34

-48.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$2.62 TTD 17.65

-33.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.66

$4.28 TTD 28.90

-52.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.93

$4.70 TTD 31.70

-56.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.49

$1.47 TTD 9.93

46.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.33

$1.73 TTD 11.69

30.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

$1.88 TTD 12.67

-26.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.47

$1.39 TTD 9.41

-19.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

$5.74 TTD 38.69

-26.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$305

$17.86 TTD 120

-1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$2.22 TTD 15.01

-22.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.4

$2.69 TTD 18.14

34.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

$1.06 TTD 7.13

30.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

$1.29 TTD 8.68

-78.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

$14.53 TTD 98.0

-63.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.69

$1.10 TTD 7.39

23.64%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

$34.5K TTD 233.0K

-44.69%

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

$37.8K TTD 254.7K

-37.49%

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

$40.53 MX$707

$81.3 TTD 548

-50.12%

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

$27.38 MX$478

$47.00 TTD 317

-41.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$530

$60.9 TTD 411

-50.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

$9.95 TTD 67.1

-37.79%

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

$425 MX$7,414

$324 TTD 2,183

31.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

$7,122 TTD 48.0K

50.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$60.2 TTD 406

-3.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

$37.85 TTD 255

17.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

$146 TTD 986

-29.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

$126 TTD 852

-13.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Marabella: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $89.0 in Marabella for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $373 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 ($1,472 vs $935 including rent). Marabella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,208 in Mexico City and $1,403 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 27% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $935 in Marabella – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $935 in Marabella versus $1,472 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.