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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $526 in Pisco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $831 in Pisco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,136 in Pisco.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 182% more expensive than Pisco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Pisco is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$2.24 PEN 7.87

479.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$11.26 PEN 39.64

371.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$3.42 PEN 12.02

184.21%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.38 PEN 4.85

171.74%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.72 PEN 2.52

118.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.27 PEN 0.94

318.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.96 PEN 6.91

62.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$4.00 PEN 14.08

16.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.42 PEN 4.99

14.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$2.68 PEN 9.42

1.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.31 PEN 4.61

43.51%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.85 PEN 10.02

-11.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$8.18 PEN 28.78

23.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.49 PEN 19.33

51.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$10.63 PEN 37.43

12.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.03 PEN 7.16

40.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.09 PEN 3.83

60.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.14 PEN 4.02

82.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.24 PEN 4.37

58.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.99 PEN 3.48

118.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.99 PEN 3.48

120.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.88 PEN 3.09

57.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.92 PEN 3.22

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$5.45 PEN 19.17

-22.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$8.50 PEN 29.91

67.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.76 PEN 6.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$3.09 PEN 10.87

19.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$3.24 PEN 11.40

-57.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$2.11 PEN 7.42

-85.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$8.44 PEN 29.70

-35.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.31 PEN 4.61

3.05%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$19.5K PEN 68.7K

-3.20%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$24.8K PEN 87.4K

-6.74%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$57.5 PEN 202

-29.01%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$12.55 PEN 44.16

119.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$23.42 PEN 82.4

29.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$7.02 PEN 24.73

-10.68%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$219 PEN 771

99.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$8,134 PEN 28.6K

28.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$49.37 PEN 174

14.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$36.19 PEN 127

23.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$90.5 PEN 319

13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$88.3 PEN 311

22.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,814 PEN 6,386

113.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,330 PEN 4,681

75.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$558 PEN 1,965

91.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.11

12.17%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pisco: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 91% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Pisco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $220 per month, with Pisco 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 Pisco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Pisco differ by about 182% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $526 including rent). Pisco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 91% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $219 in Pisco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Pisco – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $526 in Pisco versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pisco but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pisco 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 Pisco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 182% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.