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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,989 in Oranjestad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $3,152 in Oranjestad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $4,315 in Oranjestad.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 25% less than in Oranjestad, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Oranjestad 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$19.34 AWG 34.62

-32.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$81.6 AWG 146

-34.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$10.34 AWG 18.50

-6.00%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.63 AWG 6.49

3.31%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$1.47 AWG 2.63

6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$1.59 AWG 2.84

-28.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$3.01 AWG 5.40

5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$4.01 AWG 7.18

16.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.87 AWG 3.35

-13.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$2.98 AWG 5.34

-9.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$2.83 AWG 5.06

-33.57%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$5.22 AWG 9.35

-51.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$12.70 AWG 22.73

-20.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$9.46 AWG 16.93

-12.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$12.03 AWG 21.53

-0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$4.75 AWG 8.50

-39.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.31 AWG 4.13

-24.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$5.15 AWG 9.22

-59.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$3.47 AWG 6.21

-43.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$2.24 AWG 4.00

-3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.94 AWG 3.47

12.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$2.58 AWG 4.62

-46.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.54 AWG 2.75

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$10.05 AWG 17.98

-58.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$10.22 AWG 18.30

39.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$3.87 AWG 6.92

-54.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$4.30 AWG 7.69

-14.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$2.22 AWG 3.98

-82.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$30.45 AWG 54.5

-38.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$17.12 AWG 30.64

-91.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$4.00 AWG 7.16

-92.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$24.65 AWG 44.13

-78.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.47 AWG 2.63

-8.16%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$26.5K AWG 47.5K

-28.85%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$35.0K AWG 62.6K

-33.77%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$257 AWG 460

-84.10%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$49.05 AWG 87.8

-43.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$105 AWG 187

-70.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$107 AWG 192

-50.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$25.58 AWG 45.79

2.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$12.11 AWG 21.67

-48.22%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$246 AWG 440

77.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$8,715 AWG 15.6K

20.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$58.9 AWG 105

-3.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$50.0 AWG 89.5

-10.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$108 AWG 193

-4.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$103 AWG 184

5.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$682 AWG 1,220

46.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$571 AWG 1,021

8.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$1,473 AWG 2,636

45.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$1,356 AWG 2,428

-8.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$2,268 AWG 4,059

70.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,727 AWG 3,092

35.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$1,692 AWG 3,029

-36.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.25

81.44%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Oranjestad: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $682 in Oranjestad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 59% 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 $82.0 in Oranjestad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $365 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 Oranjestad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Oranjestad differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $1,989 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Oranjestad earns 59% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $682 in Oranjestad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 63% less than in Oranjestad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $246 in Oranjestad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,989 in Oranjestad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Oranjestad. 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Oranjestad 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 34% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.