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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $379 in Mary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $581 in Mary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $783 in Mary.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 284% more expensive than in Mary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Mary is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$11.62 TMT 39.03

12.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$8.53 TMT 28.66

13.48%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$8.59 TMT 28.87

-56.46%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$6.59 TMT 22.15

-75.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$1.47 TMT 4.93

-21.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$6.82 TMT 22.93

-52.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$11.35 TMT 38.13

-58.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$2.82 TMT 9.46

-41.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$6.79 TMT 22.81

-63.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.17 TMT 3.94

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$40.69 MX$714

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

$26.87 MX$471

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

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

$428 MX$7,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$213 TMT 717

386.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mary: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 386% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Mary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mary wins on cost – living expenses run 284% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mary the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 386% 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 321% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $379 in Mary – a 284% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $379 in Mary versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mary but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mary delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $379 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mary hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Mary are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 284% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.