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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,343 in Oranjestad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $4,189 in Oranjestad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $6,035 in Oranjestad.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 29% less than in Oranjestad, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 21% above, Oranjestad 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$21.82 AWG 39.05

-45.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$79.9 AWG 143

-35.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$10.07 AWG 18.02

13.31%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$4.29 AWG 7.67

-6.99%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.41 AWG 2.52

17.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.59 AWG 2.84

-16.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$3.08 AWG 5.52

12.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$4.02 AWG 7.19

46.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.81 AWG 3.24

3.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$3.03 AWG 5.41

7.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.92 AWG 5.23

-26.03%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$5.46 AWG 9.77

-46.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$12.64 AWG 22.62

1.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$9.49 AWG 16.98

5.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$12.01 AWG 21.49

32.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$4.76 AWG 8.52

-30.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$2.20 AWG 3.94

-8.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$4.94 AWG 8.84

-55.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$3.41 AWG 6.11

-30.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$2.20 AWG 3.93

-6.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.96 AWG 3.51

-3.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$2.58 AWG 4.62

-37.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.56 AWG 2.80

-10.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$9.85 AWG 17.62

-44.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$9.84 AWG 17.61

79.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$3.89 AWG 6.96

-47.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$4.36 AWG 7.80

7.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$2.14 AWG 3.83

-84.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$29.96 AWG 53.6

-30.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$17.19 AWG 30.76

-87.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$3.83 AWG 6.86

-85.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$24.50 AWG 43.84

-76.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$2.04 AWG 3.64

-21.08%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$26.5K AWG 47.4K

-13.80%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$35.9K AWG 64.3K

-25.57%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$250 AWG 448

-73.96%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$48.21 AWG 86.3

-37.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$107 AWG 191

-65.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$62.5 AWG 112

-4.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$25.95 AWG 46.43

2.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$11.87 AWG 21.24

-40.69%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$251 AWG 449

85.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$8,523 AWG 15.3K

55.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$60.9 AWG 109

24.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$50.1 AWG 89.7

11.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$111 AWG 198

1.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$102 AWG 182

18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$935 AWG 1,673

17.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$936 AWG 1,676

-23.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$2,698 AWG 4,828

-6.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$3,088 AWG 5,526

-58.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,288 AWG 4,094

74.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,710 AWG 3,060

22.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,708 AWG 3,056

-39.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.25

80.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Oranjestad: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $935 in Oranjestad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 65% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $80.0 in Oranjestad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 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 41% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $2,343 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Oranjestad. 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $935 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 44% less than in Oranjestad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $251 in Oranjestad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,343 in Oranjestad, a $3,000 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 41% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.