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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,499 in Matera, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $2,409 in Matera, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $3,318 in Matera, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 11% more than Matera, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mexico City and Matera sit above the global median – Mexico City by 21%, Matera by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$15.66 €13.65

-23.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$62.9 €54.8

-17.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$11.48 €10.01

-0.61%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.87 €1.63

113.37%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$2.26 €1.97

-26.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.13 €0.99

17.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$5.84 €5.10

-40.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.56 €3.10

65.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.57 €1.37

19.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.76 €1.54

84.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$3.25 €2.83

-33.54%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$3.81 €3.32

-23.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$16.16 €14.09

-20.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$12.87 €11.22

-21.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$21.46 €18.70

-26.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.51 €2.19

31.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$2.06 €1.80

-2.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.18 €1.03

86.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$3.85 €3.36

-38.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.81 €1.57

13.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.71 €1.49

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.41 €1.23

14.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.48 €0.42

191.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$7.10 €6.19

-23.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$6.47 €5.64

172.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.91 €1.67

7.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.10 €2.70

50.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$1.69 €1.47

-79.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$20.76 €18.10

0.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$4.65 €4.05

-54.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.31 €1.14

-57.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$24.12 €21.02

-75.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$2.08 €1.81

-22.60%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$38.2K €33.3K

-40.22%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$36.2K €31.6K

-26.17%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$211 €184

-69.04%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$9.63 €8.40

212.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$32.43 €28.27

14.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$58.0 €50.5

3.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$25.15 €21.93

5.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$11.52 €10.04

-38.89%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$468 €408

-0.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$8,263 €7,203

60.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$69.9 €60.9

8.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$44.38 €38.69

26.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$110 €96.2

1.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$129 €113

-6.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$740 €645

49.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$435 €379

65.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,068 €931

136.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$869 €758

48.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,804 €2,444

42.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$3,247 €2,830

-35.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,785 €1,556

-41.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.09

265.70%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Matera: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $740 in Matera. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 72% higher in Matera, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $63.0 in Matera. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $337 in Matera – so Matera wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Matera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 11% more than Matera, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $2,249 in Matera. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matera, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Matera. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Mexico City and $468 in Matera. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Matera, where all-in costs run around $1,499, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Matera it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Matera costs $1,499 versus $1,660 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Matera. 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.