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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $378 in Mary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $573 in Mary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $768 in Mary.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 289% more expensive than Mary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Mary is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$11.27 TMT 37.88

16.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.54 TMT 28.70

10.30%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$8.53 TMT 28.66

-58.38%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$6.49 TMT 21.80

-75.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$1.40 TMT 4.71

-20.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$6.70 TMT 22.50

-53.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$11.49 TMT 38.61

-59.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$2.87 TMT 9.65

-40.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$6.66 TMT 22.38

-61.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.12 TMT 3.75

0.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

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

$26.81 MX$464

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$214 TMT 719

421.12%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 421% 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 289% 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.

Mexico City pays 421% more on average, 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 320% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $378 in Mary – a 289% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $378 in Mary versus $1,467 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 $378 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 289% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.