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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $939 in Pachuca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,567 in Pachuca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,196 in Pachuca.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 77% more expensive than in Pachuca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Pachuca is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$5.09 MX$87.8

134.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$27.34 MX$471

88.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$8.63 MX$149

32.21%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.25 MX$56.0

22.77%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.27 MX$21.82

30.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.89 MX$15.38

49.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.71 MX$29.45

102.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.41 MX$58.8

73.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.59 MX$27.48

18.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.84 MX$48.92

14.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.99 MX$34.35

8.54%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.81 MX$48.50

3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.66 MX$132

67.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.02 MX$86.6

100.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$8.26 MX$142

92.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.15 MX$37.08

53.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.37 MX$23.69

46.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.65 MX$28.37

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.76 MX$30.41

34.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.63 MX$28.11

25.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.38 MX$23.83

37.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.93 MX$16.10

73.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.01 MX$17.40

38.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.55 MX$78.4

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.91 MX$154

98.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.47 MX$25.37

40.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.73 MX$47.15

71.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.62 MX$10.76

-45.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$29.61 MX$511

-29.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$2.85 MX$49.13

-26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$3.45 MX$59.5

-83.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$11.60 MX$200

-49.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.44 MX$24.87

11.81%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$23.3K MX$401.3K

-1.85%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$24.9K MX$430.0K

7.27%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$44.47 MX$767

46.57%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$17.00 MX$293

77.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$24.08 MX$415

54.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$25.37 MX$437

135.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$11.78 MX$203

125.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.80 MX$82.7

46.67%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$177 MX$3,052

162.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$2,842 MX$49.0K

367.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$58.8 MX$1,013

29.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$43.48 MX$750

28.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$104 MX$1,787

7.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$83.3 MX$1,435

44.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$432 MX$7,448

155.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$293 MX$5,053

145.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$650 MX$11.2K

288.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$742 MX$12.8K

74.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$799 MX$13.8K

399.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$694 MX$12.0K

201.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$695 MX$12.0K

49.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.8

4.63%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pachuca: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $432 in Pachuca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 49% 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 $27.00 in Pachuca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $225 per month, with Pachuca 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 Pachuca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Pachuca differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $939 including rent). Pachuca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 49% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $432 in Pachuca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pachuca runs roughly 42% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $177 in Pachuca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $939 in Pachuca versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pachuca but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pachuca 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 Pachuca 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 Pachuca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.