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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $804 in Pasaje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,362 in Pasaje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,919 in Pasaje.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 108% more expensive than in Pasaje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Pasaje is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$4.10 $4.10

196.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$51.5 $51.5

4.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$9.11 $9.11

21.73%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.70 $2.70

51.85%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.90 $0.90

86.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.71 $0.71

95.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$3.04 $3.04

9.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$4.54 $4.54

29.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.16 $1.16

59.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.91 $1.91

65.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.47 $1.47

40.82%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.11 $2.11

38.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$6.97 $6.97

80.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$5.01 $5.01

101.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$8.98 $8.98

79.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.49 $1.49

127.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.14 $1.14

82.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.02 $1.02

107.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.90 $0.90

167.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.22 $1.22

74.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.99 $0.99

103.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.82 $0.82

89.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$1.02 $1.02

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$5.88 $5.88

-1.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$12.01 $12.01

47.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.49 $1.49

38.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.20 $2.20

109.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.34 $0.34

8.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$20.78 $20.78

1.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.29 $1.29

58.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.80 $1.80

-67.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$11.78 $11.78

-48.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.82 $0.82

89.02%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$20.9K $20.9K

9.58%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$31.4K $31.4K

-13.22%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$36.13 $36.13

86.58%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$14.97 $14.97

104.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$25.54 $25.54

45.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$30.50 $30.50

101.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$16.36 $16.36

65.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$7.68 $7.68

-7.42%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$400 $400

14.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$6,124 $6,124

123.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$64.8 $64.8

14.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$40.22 $40.22

41.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$127 $127

-9.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$93.8 $93.8

29.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$297 $297

286.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$185 $185

284.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$685 $685

276.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$415 $415

211.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,179 $1,179

239.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$762 $762

179.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.05

12.44%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Pasaje: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $297 in Pasaje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $51.0 in Pasaje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $198 per month, with Pasaje 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 Pasaje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Pasaje differ by about 108% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $804 including rent). Pasaje is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,515 in Mexico City and $1,206 in Pasaje 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $297 in Pasaje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pasaje runs roughly 2% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $400 in Pasaje. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $804 in Pasaje versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pasaje but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pasaje 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.

Expats usually find Pasaje gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.