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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,483 in Melissia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $2,284 in Melissia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $3,085 in Melissia.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 12% more expensive than in Melissia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 21% above, Melissia 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$204

$11.34 €9.82

5.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$885

$62.7 €54.3

-17.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$9.01 €7.81

26.64%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.5

$4.15 €3.60

-3.86%

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

$1.66 MX$28.45

$2.40 €2.08

-30.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.74

$0.56 €0.49

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.5

$4.58 €3.97

-24.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$5.30 €4.59

11.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.18

$1.95 €1.69

-3.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.8

$1.52 €1.31

113.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.05

$2.90 €2.51

-25.52%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.66

$5.13 €4.44

-43.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$220

$11.58 €10.03

11.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$172

$10.34 €8.96

-2.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$19.35 €16.77

-18.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.5

$2.24 €1.94

46.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.40

$2.01 €1.75

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.46 €1.27

50.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.40

$2.03 €1.76

16.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.23

$1.17 €1.02

75.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.60

$1.20 €1.04

58.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.52

$0.88 €0.76

82.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.95

$0.88 €0.76

59.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.7

$5.76 €4.99

-5.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$10.44 €9.05

69.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.24

$2.17 €1.88

-5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.3

$2.79 €2.41

67.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.80

$1.40 €1.22

-75.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$45.43 €39.37

-54.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.95

$4.67 €4.05

-55.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.59

$1.06 €0.91

-47.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.7

$14.70 €12.74

-60.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.53

$2.20 €1.91

-26.82%

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

$22.8K MX$391.6K

$29.0K €25.2K

-21.35%

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

$26.8K MX$458.6K

$24.2K €21.0K

10.39%

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

$65.2 MX$1,117

$221 €192

-70.57%

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

$30.09 MX$516

$25.25 €21.88

19.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$637

$30.52 €26.45

21.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,024

$56.8 €49.19

5.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$455

$29.21 €25.31

-9.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$9.36 €8.11

-24.79%

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

$465 MX$7,967

$503 €436

-7.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.6K

$4,608 €3,994

188.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,301

$92.7 €80.3

-18.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$959

$37.21 €32.24

50.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,918

$105 €90.8

6.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,066

$133 €115

-9.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$538 €466

104.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$409 €355

76.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$748 €648

238.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$622 €539

107.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.4K

$2,707 €2,346

47.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.8K

$2,334 €2,022

-10.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$1,377 €1,193

-24.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.37

158.58%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Melissia: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $538 in Melissia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melissia pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $63.0 in Melissia. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $308, with Melissia cheaper for home cooking.

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 Melissia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melissia wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Melissia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 33% lower in Melissia. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $538 in Melissia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $1,483 in Melissia – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Melissia runs roughly 118% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,483 in Melissia versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Melissia but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Melissia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Melissia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,483 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Melissia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Melissia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Melissia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.