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: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $1,926 in Oranjestad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $3,152 in Oranjestad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $4,378 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 9% above, Oranjestad 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$19.22 AWG 34.40

-32.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$78.5 AWG 141

-33.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$10.18 AWG 18.22

-4.81%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$3.66 AWG 6.55

2.46%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$1.46 AWG 2.62

6.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$1.59 AWG 2.84

-27.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$3.06 AWG 5.48

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$4.09 AWG 7.33

19.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$1.88 AWG 3.36

-9.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$2.89 AWG 5.18

-7.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$2.83 AWG 5.07

-33.22%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$5.19 AWG 9.28

-51.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$12.31 AWG 22.03

-18.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$9.21 AWG 16.48

-7.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$12.35 AWG 22.11

-3.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$4.73 AWG 8.46

-37.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$2.19 AWG 3.93

-18.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$5.12 AWG 9.16

-60.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$3.56 AWG 6.37

-44.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$2.19 AWG 3.91

-1.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$1.98 AWG 3.54

14.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$2.62 AWG 4.69

-46.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$1.54 AWG 2.75

-27.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$9.89 AWG 17.69

-57.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$9.74 AWG 17.43

69.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$3.87 AWG 6.92

-56.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$4.46 AWG 7.98

-19.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$2.15 AWG 3.85

-81.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$29.43 AWG 52.7

-34.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$17.18 AWG 30.75

-91.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$3.98 AWG 7.12

-92.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$25.09 AWG 44.89

-78.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$1.47 AWG 2.63

-12.24%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$25.9K AWG 46.3K

-26.95%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$34.6K AWG 62.0K

-31.26%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$257 AWG 459

-84.47%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$48.91 AWG 87.5

-43.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$105 AWG 188

-71.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$104 AWG 186

-50.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$26.05 AWG 46.62

0.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$12.03 AWG 21.53

-47.88%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$246 AWG 441

75.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$8,620 AWG 15.4K

22.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$59.9 AWG 107

-4.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$49.73 AWG 89.0

-8.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$108 AWG 193

-5.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$104 AWG 186

4.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$673 AWG 1,205

47.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$579 AWG 1,035

6.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$1,435 AWG 2,568

45.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$1,358 AWG 2,431

-7.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$2,225 AWG 3,982

76.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$1,709 AWG 3,059

22.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$1,700 AWG 3,042

-33.44%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Oranjestad: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Mexico City and $673 in Oranjestad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 50% 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 $79.0 in Oranjestad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $362 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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,448 vs $1,926 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Oranjestad earns 50% 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: $994 in Mexico City versus $673 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 53% less than in Oranjestad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $433 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 $1,448 in Mexico City versus $1,926 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 33% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.