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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,732 in Moscow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $2,677 in Moscow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $3,622 in Moscow.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 3% less than in Moscow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 22% above, Moscow 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$11.71 ₽984

3.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$59.0 ₽4,959

-8.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$6.91 ₽581

60.49%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.54 ₽298

15.82%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.56 ₽131

7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.78 ₽65.4

78.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$4.73 ₽397

-29.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$4.71 ₽396

24.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.19 ₽100

55.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.96 ₽81.0

230.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.66 ₽139

24.70%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.89 ₽159

55.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$13.12 ₽1,102

-4.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.13 ₽515

64.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$14.13 ₽1,187

13.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.94 ₽163

74.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.71 ₽144

21.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.96 ₽165

8.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$4.00 ₽336

-39.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.90 ₽75.7

136.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.69 ₽57.7

191.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.56 ₽131

-0.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.85 ₽71.1

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$3.20 ₽269

80.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$11.71 ₽984

51.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.14 ₽95.6

81.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.33 ₽196

97.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.95 ₽79.6

-61.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$40.57 ₽3,410

-47.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$3.57 ₽300

-42.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.68 ₽57.0

-14.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$10.31 ₽867

-41.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.82 ₽68.7

89.02%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$36.8K ₽3.1M

-37.87%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$37.3K ₽3.1M

-26.90%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$183 ₽15.4K

-63.16%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$8.74 ₽735

250.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$9.36 ₽787

297.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$38.75 ₽3,257

58.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$44.24 ₽3,719

-38.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$8.10 ₽681

-12.22%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$765 ₽64.3K

-40.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$24.7K ₽2.1M

-44.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$101 ₽8,511

-26.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$59.9 ₽5,031

-4.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$141 ₽11.8K

-18.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$171 ₽14.4K

-29.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$1,429 ₽120.1K

-19.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$762 ₽64.0K

-6.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$2,876 ₽241.7K

-10.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$1,450 ₽121.9K

-10.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$10.2K ₽853.3K

-60.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$4,438 ₽373.0K

-52.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$1,708 ₽143.5K

-36.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

19.86

-43.10%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Moscow: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $1,429 in Moscow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Moscow pays 58% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $59.0 in Moscow. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $250, with Moscow 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 Moscow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Moscow differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $1,732 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 58% lower in Moscow. 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $1,429 in Moscow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 92% less than in Moscow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $765 in Moscow. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,732 in Moscow, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Moscow. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.