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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $790 in Masaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,260 in Masaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,729 in Masaya, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 112% more than Masaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Masaya is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$10.08 NIO 369

20.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$36.77 NIO 1,347

46.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$7.66 NIO 280

44.78%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.51 NIO 92.1

63.35%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.83 NIO 30.34

102.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.72 NIO 26.40

93.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.44 NIO 52.9

131.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$1.96 NIO 71.9

200.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.24 NIO 45.27

49.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$2.29 NIO 83.9

38.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.71 NIO 62.5

21.05%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.36 NIO 86.5

24.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$11.49 NIO 421

9.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.52 NIO 239

55.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$7.30 NIO 268

120.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$3.64 NIO 133

-6.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$0.57 NIO 21.04

264.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.75 NIO 64.0

21.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$2.18 NIO 79.9

10.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$4.03 NIO 147

-47.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$2.26 NIO 82.8

-11.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.01 NIO 36.97

53.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$1.07 NIO 39.11

27.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$2.68 NIO 98.1

115.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$14.59 NIO 534

21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.46 NIO 53.5

41.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.35 NIO 85.9

96.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.65 NIO 60.4

24.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.67 NIO 61.2

-65.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$6.86 NIO 251

-11.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.33 NIO 48.65

16.54%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$23.2K NIO 849.3K

-1.35%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$26.1K NIO 955.3K

4.41%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$117 NIO 4,283

-42.36%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$16.75 NIO 613

82.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$36.65 NIO 1,342

1.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$8.33 NIO 305

-14.65%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$237 NIO 8,673

92.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$5,955 NIO 218.1K

129.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$71.2 NIO 2,607

4.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$72.1 NIO 2,642

-20.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$135 NIO 4,935

-14.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$107 NIO 3,904

13.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.25

10.24%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Masaya: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $37.00 in Masaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $255 – making Masaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Masaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 112%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $1,185 in Masaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $37.00 in Masaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Masaya, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In Masaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Masaya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Masaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.