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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,682 per month in Mexico City vs $1,458 in Messina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,599 per month in Mexico City vs $2,517 in Messina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,516 per month in Mexico City vs $3,576 in Messina, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 15% more than Messina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Messina sit above the global median – Mexico City by 23%, Messina by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$18.76 €16.05

-36.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$69.7 €59.6

-25.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$12.56 €10.74

-13.46%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$2.02 €1.73

99.50%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$2.44 €2.09

-29.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$1.20 €1.02

11.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$4.60 €3.93

-26.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$3.42 €2.93

67.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.35 €1.16

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.84 €1.58

72.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$2.95 €2.53

-30.51%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$3.06 €2.62

-1.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$14.86 €12.72

-15.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$10.91 €9.33

-8.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$17.85 €15.27

-10.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$3.01 €2.57

8.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.71 €1.46

20.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$1.13 €0.97

84.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$3.40 €2.91

-26.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$0.67 €0.57

205.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$1.57 €1.34

19.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$1.43 €1.23

9.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$0.41 €0.35

239.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$6.75 €5.77

-20.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$5.81 €4.97

208.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$1.73 €1.48

16.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$2.37 €2.03

100.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$1.73 €1.48

-79.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

$43.46 €37.18

-52.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$5.84 €4.99

-64.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$1.13 €0.97

-50.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$38.93 €33.30

-85.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$2.07 €1.77

-25.60%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$35.6K €30.5K

-36.92%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$32.1K €27.4K

-17.44%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$182 €155

-63.68%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$10.48 €8.97

195.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$26.24 €22.45

37.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$50.0 €42.78

15.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

$17.47 €14.94

53.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$9.21 €7.88

-22.58%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$344 €294

32.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$74.4 €63.6

1.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$31.46 €26.91

72.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$89.7 €76.7

29.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$128 €110

-5.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$561 €480

104.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$384 €328

89.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$1,242 €1,063

101.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$1,096 €937

21.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$2,133 €1,825

82.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$1,730 €1,480

24.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,745 €1,493

-38.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

3.8

198.68%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Messina: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,147 in Mexico City versus $561 in Messina. 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 63% higher in Messina, 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $70.0 in Messina. Groceries tell a different story – $344 in Mexico City vs $296 in Messina – so Messina wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Messina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 15% more than Messina, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,523 per month in Mexico City and $2,187 in Messina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $457 per month in Mexico City and $344 in Messina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Messina, where all-in costs run around $1,458, than in Mexico City at $1,682. In Messina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Messina costs $1,458 versus $1,682 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Messina. 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.