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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $522 in Pisco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $819 in Pisco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,117 in Pisco.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 177% more expensive than Pisco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Pisco is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$2.17 PEN 7.38

498.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$11.02 PEN 37.48

377.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.35 PEN 11.37

181.49%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.42 PEN 4.82

151.41%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.68 PEN 2.30

136.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.27 PEN 0.92

325.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.90 PEN 6.47

65.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.80 PEN 12.93

27.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.48 PEN 5.04

14.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.60 PEN 8.84

1.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.35 PEN 4.58

40.74%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.83 PEN 9.61

-10.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$8.08 PEN 27.48

24.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.72 PEN 19.45

44.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$10.65 PEN 36.21

8.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.95 PEN 6.64

55.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.08 PEN 3.68

58.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.11 PEN 3.76

84.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.26 PEN 4.29

63.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.03 PEN 3.51

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.93 PEN 3.16

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.86 PEN 2.93

62.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.94 PEN 3.18

19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$5.53 PEN 18.80

-22.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$8.42 PEN 28.62

83.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.70 PEN 5.78

-1.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.03 PEN 10.31

21.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$3.28 PEN 11.16

-57.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$2.12 PEN 7.21

-86.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$8.47 PEN 28.79

-36.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.30 PEN 4.41

-1.54%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$19.6K PEN 66.7K

-3.31%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$24.8K PEN 84.3K

-5.38%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$57.2 PEN 195

-28.32%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$12.81 PEN 43.54

110.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$23.45 PEN 79.7

26.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.87 PEN 23.37

-10.04%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$216 PEN 734

97.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$8,003 PEN 27.2K

33.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$50.8 PEN 173

11.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$36.62 PEN 124

22.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$90.5 PEN 308

15.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$87.7 PEN 298

20.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,782 PEN 6,057

119.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,328 PEN 4,514

57.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$557 PEN 1,893

98.83%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pisco: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 99% 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 $288 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 177% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $522 including rent). Pisco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 99% 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 $427 in Mexico City versus $216 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 $522 in Pisco versus $1,447 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 177% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.