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 $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $1,468 in Messina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $2,280 in Messina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $3,093 in Messina, rent included.

Mexico City is about 1% cheaper than Messina, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mexico City and Messina sit above the global median – Mexico City by 9%, Messina by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$14.05 €12.10

-7.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$57.0 €49.10

-8.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$11.54 €9.94

-16.03%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$1.98 €1.71

89.39%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$2.30 €1.98

-32.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$1.27 €1.09

-8.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$3.45 €2.97

-6.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$3.37 €2.90

45.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$1.35 €1.16

25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$2.17 €1.87

23.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$2.70 €2.33

-30.00%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$3.48 €2.99

-27.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$9.37 €8.07

6.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$9.97 €8.59

-14.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$17.41 €14.99

-31.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$2.83 €2.44

4.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.72 €1.48

4.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$1.17 €1.01

70.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$3.21 €2.76

-38.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.66 €0.57

227.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$1.19 €1.03

90.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$1.13 €0.97

23.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.44 €0.38

152.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$6.62 €5.70

-36.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$5.96 €5.13

177.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$1.52 €1.31

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$2.40 €2.07

49.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$1.78 €1.53

-78.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$43.19 €37.19

-55.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$4.71 €4.06

-70.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$1.44 €1.24

-79.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$46.06 €39.66

-88.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$2.00 €1.72

-35.50%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$35.0K €30.1K

-45.99%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$28.9K €24.9K

-17.66%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$189 €163

-78.89%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$14.67 €12.63

89.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$27.31 €23.52

9.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$49.84 €42.92

4.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$17.38 €14.96

50.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$9.70 €8.35

-35.36%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$342 €295

26.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$10.5K €9,084

-0.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$87.5 €75.3

-34.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$31.09 €26.77

45.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$90.3 €77.8

12.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$129 €111

-15.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$640 €551

55.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$461 €397

33.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$1,018 €876

104.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$889 €765

41.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$2,228 €1,919

76.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$1,811 €1,559

15.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$1,787 €1,539

-36.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.72

140.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Messina: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $640 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 58% higher in Messina, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $57.0 in Messina. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Mexico City vs $274 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

Messina costs about 1% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $2,202 in Messina. 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.

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Mexico City and $342 in Messina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Messina – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,448, than in Messina at $1,468. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Messina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,448 versus $1,468 in Messina. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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