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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,552 in Melissia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $2,317 in Melissia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $3,081 in Melissia.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 7% less than in Melissia, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 8% above, Melissia 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$13.44 €11.58

-3.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$57.6 €49.61

-8.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$9.20 €7.93

2.50%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$4.12 €3.55

-13.35%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.70 €1.46

-5.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.56 €0.48

105.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$5.63 €4.85

-44.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$5.83 €5.02

-16.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.93 €1.67

-11.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.54 €1.33

71.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.81 €2.42

-32.38%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$5.15 €4.44

-50.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$13.75 €11.84

-26.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$10.30 €8.87

-19.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$14.86 €12.80

-22.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.28 €1.97

32.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.93 €1.66

-11.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.11 €0.96

84.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.91 €1.65

7.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.37 €1.18

50.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.21 €1.05

79.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.04 €0.89

34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.00 €0.86

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$5.68 €4.90

-24.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$10.49 €9.04

46.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.10 €1.81

-20.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.42 €2.08

52.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$1.55 €1.33

-75.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$45.65 €39.33

-58.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$4.72 €4.06

-70.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$13.63 €11.75

-60.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$2.17 €1.87

-41.01%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$29.1K €25.1K

-34.85%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$30.1K €25.9K

-21.99%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$295 €254

-86.08%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$24.19 €20.84

11.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$31.00 €26.71

-4.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$47.83 €41.21

9.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$26.29 €22.65

-0.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$10.04 €8.65

-38.45%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$519 €447

-17.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$5,589 €4,816

91.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$112 €96.6

-49.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$38.97 €33.58

15.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$99.1 €85.4

5.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$123 €106

-13.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$495 €427

100.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$383 €330

62.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$763 €658

178.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$622 €536

101.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$3,092 €2,664

26.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$2,515 €2,167

-16.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,372 €1,182

-19.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.99

127.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Melissia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $495 in Melissia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melissia pays 24% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $58.0 in Melissia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $300 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Melissia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Melissia earns 24% less. 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $495 in Melissia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $1,552 in Melissia – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 140% less than in Melissia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,552 in Melissia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Melissia. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,447 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Melissia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.