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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $1,621 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $2,261 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $2,901 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Mexico City is about 10% cheaper than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Mazatlan sit above the global median – Mexico City by 9%, Mazatlan by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$10.42 MX$183

25.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$45.17 MX$792

18.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$8.38 MX$147

15.51%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$3.40 MX$59.7

10.00%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$1.40 MX$24.54

15.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$1.08 MX$18.89

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.93 MX$33.83

67.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.57 MX$45.10

84.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.46 MX$25.53

13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$2.52 MX$44.26

9.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$2.07 MX$36.35

-9.66%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.38 MX$41.76

5.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.76 MX$136

31.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$6.33 MX$111

30.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$7.21 MX$126

63.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.68 MX$46.97

12.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.57 MX$27.48

15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.77 MX$31.09

12.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.80 MX$14.08

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$2.28 MX$40.07

-8.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$2.50 MX$43.90

-9.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.25 MX$22.00

16.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.03 MX$18.08

4.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$3.99 MX$70.0

9.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$16.11 MX$283

5.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.97 MX$34.52

-12.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.98 MX$52.2

20.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.67 MX$11.76

-41.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$39.30 MX$689

-52.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$3.51 MX$61.6

-62.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.83 MX$32.13

-84.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$8.26 MX$145

-36.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.28 MX$22.38

4.69%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$21.3K MX$373.0K

-8.73%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$22.7K MX$398.9K

4.78%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$54.8 MX$961

-25.71%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$20.81 MX$365

29.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$40.59 MX$712

-24.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$41.65 MX$731

26.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$15.56 MX$273

71.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$3.90 MX$68.5

66.92%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$86.3 MX$1,513

396.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$1,925 MX$33.8K

445.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$62.6 MX$1,097

-8.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$26.17 MX$459

73.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$107 MX$1,876

-2.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$78.9 MX$1,384

36.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$888 MX$15.6K

13.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$899 MX$15.8K

-30.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$1,393 MX$24.4K

51.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$1,093 MX$19.2K

11.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$1,665 MX$29.2K

133.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$1,067 MX$18.7K

90.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$562 MX$9,849

84.82%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $888 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 85% 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 $45.00 in Mazatlan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $245 – 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: $1,456 in Mexico City, $1,621 in Mazatlan – roughly 11% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $2,432 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 110% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $86.3 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 $1,456, than in Mazatlan at $1,621. 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 $1,456 in Mexico City to $1,621 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.