Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais

For one person, living is cheaper in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: $815 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
🇧🇷 Brazil
$815
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $815 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.

  • Mexico City $1,548
  • Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais $815

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $1,262 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.

  • Mexico City $2,436
  • Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais $1,262

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $1,709 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.

  • Mexico City $3,323
  • Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais $1,709

Living in Mexico City is roughly 90% more expensive than in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 14% above, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais is 40% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 MX$204
$4.62 R$23.40
138.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 MX$900
$15.98 R$81.0
204.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 MX$201
$7.03 R$35.64
55.05%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.1
$1.78 R$9.03
106.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.18
$1.43 R$7.26
13.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MX$23.07
$0.59 R$2.99
111.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$60.1
$1.16 R$5.90
180.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 MX$102
$2.35 R$11.91
135.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.50
$0.95 R$4.79
78.95%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$1.56 R$7.90
93.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.53
$1.39 R$7.03
38.13%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$50.5
$2.02 R$10.26
35.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 MX$218
$9.08 R$46.03
29.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 MX$176
$3.52 R$17.83
170.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 MX$266
$9.71 R$49.21
48.40%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$1.88 R$9.55
60.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.01
$1.15 R$5.81
64.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.70
$0.99 R$5.03
101.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.38
$1.26 R$6.39
73.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.43
$0.70 R$3.54
174.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.49
$0.83 R$4.21
125.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.62
$0.54 R$2.72
166.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.39
$0.82 R$4.16
54.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 MX$96.4
$1.62 R$8.20
222.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.17 MX$299
$6.15 R$31.18
162.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 MX$35.03
$0.98 R$4.97
93.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 MX$78.0
$1.43 R$7.27
195.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.30
$1.04 R$5.25
-67.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.65 MX$363
$43.65 R$221
-54.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$36.90
$1.44 R$7.28
38.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 MX$9.67
$0.74 R$3.77
-29.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 MX$98.7
$3.90 R$19.77
36.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.13
$1.35 R$6.85
12.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K MX$408.0K
$12.2K R$61.8K
81.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$452.9K
$30.0K R$152.3K
-18.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,129
$59.4 R$301
2.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.58 MX$528
$9.87 R$50.1
189.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.47 MX$637
$19.00 R$96.3
81.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,042
$26.09 R$132
116.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.88 MX$460
$27.68 R$140
-10.12%
Cinema Ticket
$6.66 MX$123
$6.85 R$34.74
-2.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,891
$143 R$726
198.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$215.0K
$1,980 R$10.0K
487.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 MX$1,253
$70.6 R$358
-3.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.0 MX$960
$82.6 R$419
-37.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 MX$1,959
$66.4 R$336
59.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MX$2,080
$48.64 R$247
131.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 MX$18.9K
$354 R$1,795
189.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 MX$12.1K
$240 R$1,217
172.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 MX$42.7K
$671 R$3,403
243.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 MX$22.9K
$450 R$2,280
176.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,613 MX$66.8K
$1,681 R$8,523
114.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,936 MX$35.8K
$1,193 R$6,045
62.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$964 MX$17.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
10.67
5.90%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$654
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$240 63.3% $414
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$318
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$175 45% $143
Eating Out
Mexico City
$204
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$98 51.9% $106
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$152
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$121 20.7% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$124
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$88 28.9% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$40 42.9% $30
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$53 107% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,025 in Mexico City and $354 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $16.00 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $175 per month, with Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇧🇷 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
🕒 Local time
02:50 2:50 AM
05:50 5:50 AM
3 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
74,821
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 7,500 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais?
Mexico City and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais differ by about 90% in total monthly costs ($1,548 vs $815 including rent). Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 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 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais?
You'd need roughly $2,322 in Mexico City and $1,222 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 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 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,025 in Mexico City versus $354 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais?
A monthly transit pass in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais runs roughly 122% less than in Mexico City. 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 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais?
Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $143 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $815 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $1,548 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais?
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 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 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 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais?
Expats usually find Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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