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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,651 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $2,232 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,813 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Mexico City is about 11% cheaper than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Mazatlan sit above the global median – Mexico City by 10%, Mazatlan by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$10.60 MX$183

24.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$44.47 MX$769

21.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.44 MX$146

11.61%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.33 MX$57.6

6.61%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.42 MX$24.62

14.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$1.08 MX$18.70

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.02 MX$35.01

54.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.66 MX$46.09

74.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.40 MX$24.23

21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$2.60 MX$44.95

4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.11 MX$36.56

-9.48%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.30 MX$39.87

10.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$7.72 MX$133

29.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$6.55 MX$113

23.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.34 MX$127

58.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.62 MX$45.38

13.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.62 MX$28.08

11.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.77 MX$30.57

13.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.81 MX$13.97

150.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$2.28 MX$39.47

-7.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.53 MX$43.73

-10.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.21 MX$20.86

15.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.05 MX$18.08

7.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.93 MX$68.0

8.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$16.61 MX$287

-6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$2.03 MX$35.12

-13.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.98 MX$51.5

20.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.70 MX$12.13

-45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$39.56 MX$684

-51.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$3.42 MX$59.2

-59.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.80 MX$31.06

-84.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$8.26 MX$143

-34.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.28 MX$22.08

1.56%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$20.8K MX$360.1K

-10.23%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$22.5K MX$388.5K

2.99%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$56.0 MX$969

-27.09%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$21.30 MX$368

25.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$41.71 MX$721

-28.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$42.89 MX$742

21.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$15.70 MX$272

70.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$3.91 MX$67.7

61.13%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$85.2 MX$1,473

412.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$1,920 MX$33.2K

442.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$62.8 MX$1,087

-9.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$26.58 MX$460

66.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$104 MX$1,798

-1.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$78.2 MX$1,353

34.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$894 MX$15.5K

14.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$891 MX$15.4K

-29.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$1,371 MX$23.7K

55.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$1,076 MX$18.6K

15.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,637 MX$28.3K

138.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,078 MX$18.6K

91.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$570 MX$9,859

95.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.33

0.09%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $894 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 96% higher in Mexico City, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $44.00 in Mazatlan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $248 – 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: $1,467 in Mexico City, $1,651 in Mazatlan – roughly 12% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $2,476 in Mazatlan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 106% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $85.2 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 Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Mazatlan at $1,651. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mazatlan 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 $1,467 in Mexico City to $1,651 in Mazatlan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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