🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,822 in Montecatini Terme.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,342 in Mexico City versus $2,657 in Montecatini Terme.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Mexico City versus $3,493 in Montecatini Terme.
🙂Living in Mexico City costs roughly 19% less than in Montecatini Terme, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City10% above, Montecatini Terme35% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.29MX$231
$20.99€17.86
-36.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.8MX$933
$37.99€32.33
41.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.29MX$161
$11.79€10.04
-21.20%
Cappuccino
$3.61MX$62.6
$1.66€1.41
117.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56MX$27.03
$2.28€1.94
-31.58%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.46
$1.17€1.00
-4.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.13MX$54.3
$5.10€4.34
-38.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.71MX$81.7
$5.70€4.85
-17.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70MX$29.54
$1.40€1.19
21.43%
White Bread(500g)
$2.77MX$48.03
$2.75€2.34
0.73%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.96MX$34.05
$2.55€2.17
-23.14%
Eggs
$2.60MX$45.21
$4.61€3.92
-43.60%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.94MX$173
$10.48€8.92
-5.15%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.10MX$141
$15.24€12.97
-46.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.50MX$200
$22.28€18.96
-48.38%
Apples(1kg)
$2.87MX$49.84
$2.71€2.31
5.90%
Banana(1kg)
$1.73MX$30.07
$2.76€2.35
-37.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.00MX$34.73
$3.64€3.10
-45.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.04MX$35.38
$4.02€3.42
-49.25%
Potato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.14
$2.81€2.39
-25.98%
Onion(1kg)
$2.20MX$38.12
$1.77€1.50
24.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.45MX$25.24
$1.56€1.33
-7.05%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MX$18.63
$0.44€0.38
143.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27MX$74.2
$6.50€5.53
-34.31%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.32MX$249
$9.53€8.11
50.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.62
$1.07€0.91
64.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70MX$64.2
$1.52€1.29
143.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Montecatini Terme
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.35MX$6.12
$1.72€1.47
-79.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.19MX$333
$43.01€36.60
-55.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.34MX$23.18
$6.89€5.86
-80.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.28MX$4.83
$1.12€0.95
-75.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.33MX$92.6
$32.72€27.85
-83.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34MX$23.27
$2.02€1.72
-33.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.1KMX$332.0K
$27.9K€23.7K
-31.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9KMX$414.5K
$37.5K€31.9K
-36.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$39.86MX$692
$265€226
-84.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.78MX$465
$11.46€9.75
133.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.36MX$510
$30.72€26.15
-4.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4MX$927
$60.1€51.1
-11.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.09MX$453
$23.18€19.72
12.55%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40MX$111
$10.09€8.59
-36.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$440MX$7,647
$714€608
-38.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.8KMX$186.6K
$11.3K€9,623
-4.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6MX$1,000
$98.4€83.8
-41.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.02MX$781
$35.21€29.96
27.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104MX$1,801
$103€87.3
1.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108MX$1,874
$131€111
-17.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Montecatini Terme
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,013MX$17.6K
$750€638
35.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$630MX$10.9K
$585€498
7.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,162MX$37.5K
$1,234€1,050
75.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,222MX$21.2K
$935€795
30.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,793MX$65.8K
$2,687€2,287
41.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332MX$40.5K
$2,331€1,983
0.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Montecatini Terme
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,075MX$18.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
4
183.50%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026
Last update for Montecatini Terme: April 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,013 in Mexico City and $750 in Montecatini Terme. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $54 in Mexico City vs $38 in Montecatini Terme. Groceries flip the comparison at $285 vs $360, with Mexico City 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 Montecatini Terme: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Montecatini Terme?
Mexico City and Montecatini Terme differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $1,822 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Montecatini Terme?
You'd need roughly $2,226 in Mexico City and $2,733 in Montecatini Terme to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Montecatini Terme?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,013 in Mexico City versus $750 in Montecatini Terme. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and Montecatini Terme?
A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 124% less than in Montecatini Terme. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Montecatini Terme?
Childcare runs $440 in Mexico City versus $714 in Montecatini Terme. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,822 in Montecatini Terme, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Montecatini Terme. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Montecatini Terme?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Mexico City or Montecatini Terme safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Montecatini Terme are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Montecatini Terme?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Montecatini Terme. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared