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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $815 in Pago Pago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,385 in Pago Pago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,955 in Pago Pago.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 78% more expensive than Pago Pago, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Pago Pago is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$25.34 $25.34

-48.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$6.82 $6.82

671.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.01 $1.01

253.47%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.22 $1.22

31.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.97 $1.97

59.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.05 $2.05

137.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.51 $2.51

-32.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.84 $2.84

-7.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$4.35 $4.35

-56.32%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$4.57 $4.57

-44.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$10.26 $10.26

-1.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$11.40 $11.40

1.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$11.27 $11.27

-61.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$15.29 $15.29

0.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.97 $2.97

24.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$2.06 $2.06

-81.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$4.87 $4.87

-71.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.30 $1.30

-1.54%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

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

$41.02 MX$704

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

$26.92 MX$462

$29.51 $29.51

-8.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$76.2 $76.2

-61.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$50.2 $50.2

4.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$10.05 $10.05

161.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$9.14 $9.14

-32.39%

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

$427 MX$7,331

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$148 $148

573.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$203 $203

206.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$900 $900

136.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$689 $689

81.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$17.6K $17.6K

-77.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$10.9K $10.9K

-80.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,214 $1,214

-8.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pago Pago: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $148 in Pago Pago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pago Pago pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $7.00 in Pago Pago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $191 per month, with Pago Pago 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 Pago Pago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Pago Pago differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $815 including rent). Pago Pago is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Pago Pago earns 10% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $148 in Pago Pago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pago Pago – a meal for two runs $7.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $815 in Pago Pago – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $815 in Pago Pago versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pago Pago but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pago Pago 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 Pago Pago 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 Pago Pago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.