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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $1,513 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $2,174 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $2,835 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 11% more than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Mazatlan sit above the global median – Mexico City by 22%, Mazatlan by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$11.62 MX$198

4.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$916

$49.79 MX$846

8.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$9.23 MX$157

20.15%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.6

$3.85 MX$65.4

6.49%

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

$1.68 MX$28.57

$1.55 MX$26.28

8.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.58

$1.16 MX$19.72

19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.6

$2.24 MX$38.13

48.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.9

$3.02 MX$51.2

94.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.45

$1.71 MX$29.01

8.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.9

$2.85 MX$48.43

11.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.18

$1.47 MX$24.90

40.82%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.74

$2.92 MX$49.59

0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$8.85 MX$150

42.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$7.18 MX$122

40.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$8.42 MX$143

91.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.6

$3.02 MX$51.2

12.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.31

$1.82 MX$30.91

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.02

$1.72 MX$29.25

23.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$41.01

$0.56 MX$9.43

330.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.17

$1.79 MX$30.48

18.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.07

$1.45 MX$24.60

38.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.70 MX$28.96

-8.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.19

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$98.0

$4.38 MX$74.4

31.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$16.70 MX$284

6.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.16

$2.19 MX$37.20

-5.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.4

$3.49 MX$59.3

32.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.80 MX$13.57

-53.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$360

$44.90 MX$763

-52.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.89

$3.76 MX$63.8

-45.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.80

$2.61 MX$44.42

-77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$1.54 MX$26.16

0.65%

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

$22.9K MX$388.6K

$23.1K MX$392.2K

-0.91%

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

$27.2K MX$462.7K

$26.2K MX$445.3K

3.91%

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

$67.4 MX$1,145

$62.0 MX$1,053

8.80%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$50.3 MX$855

-39.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$633

$45.82 MX$779

-18.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,044

$47.57 MX$808

29.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$461

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$4.81 MX$81.7

47.82%

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

$456 MX$7,750

$95.2 MX$1,618

379.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.6K

$2,151 MX$36.5K

536.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,260

$70.1 MX$1,191

5.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$969

$29.25 MX$497

94.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,961

$123 MX$2,083

-5.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,064

$88.1 MX$1,497

37.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$845 MX$14.4K

35.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.1K

$660 MX$11.2K

7.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.8K

$1,284 MX$21.8K

100.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$850 MX$14.4K

52.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$68.0K

$1,724 MX$29.3K

132.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.2K

$1,127 MX$19.1K

88.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$571 MX$9,696

89.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.6

-2.59%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $845 in Mazatlan. 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 90% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $50.0 in Mazatlan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $253 – making Mazatlan 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 Mazatlan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City, $1,513 in Mazatlan – roughly 11% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $2,269 in Mazatlan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 112% less in Mazatlan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $456 per month in Mexico City and $95.2 in Mazatlan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mazatlan, where all-in costs run around $1,513, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In Mazatlan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,513 in Mazatlan to $1,677 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mazatlan. 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.