Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Playa del Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Playa del Coco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,738 in Playa del Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $2,664 in Playa del Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $3,591 in Playa del Coco.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 15% less than in Playa del Coco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Playa del Coco 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$229

$16.13 ₡7,260

-18.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$934

$80.2 ₡36.1K

-33.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$163

$10.10 ₡4,544

-7.62%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.5

$7.05 ₡3,171

-47.52%

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

$1.60 MX$27.98

$2.37 ₡1,068

-32.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$1.90 ₡857

-41.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$3.28 ₡1,476

-4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

$6.12 ₡2,752

-20.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.84

$2.52 ₡1,136

-34.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$2.78 ₡1,250

-2.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.29

$2.14 ₡965

-10.75%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.17

$2.93 ₡1,318

-11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$171

$8.64 ₡3,889

13.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$12.95 ₡5,828

-34.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

$13.54 ₡6,093

-11.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$4.56 ₡2,052

-35.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$1.52 ₡684

14.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.66

$4.17 ₡1,875

-51.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.93

$1.65 ₡744

24.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.49

$3.30 ₡1,485

-34.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.33

$2.94 ₡1,321

-23.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

$0.96 ₡431

44.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.47

$2.96 ₡1,330

-62.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

$4.95 ₡2,226

-14.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$305

$18.51 ₡8,330

-5.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$2.09 ₡940

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.4

$2.68 ₡1,205

35.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

$1.17 ₡526

-70.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

$2.93 ₡1,319

-52.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

$1.81 ₡812

-84.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

$7.68 ₡3,458

-31.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.69

$1.84 ₡827

-26.09%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

$38.5K ₡17.3M

-50.32%

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

$32.3K ₡14.5M

-26.94%

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

$40.53 MX$707

$175 ₡78.5K

-76.77%

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

$27.38 MX$478

$26.08 ₡11.7K

4.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$530

$58.9 ₡26.5K

-48.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

$56.4 ₡25.4K

-7.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

$23.53 ₡10.6K

12.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

$10.08 ₡4,538

-38.59%

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

$425 MX$7,414

$517 ₡232.7K

-17.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

$12.8K ₡5.8M

-16.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$63.7 ₡28.7K

-8.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

$51.3 ₡23.1K

-13.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

$125 ₡56.4K

-17.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

$107 ₡48.3K

1.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

$767 ₡344.9K

32.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$597 ₡268.6K

4.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

$1,521 ₡684.3K

39.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

$981 ₡441.5K

24.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

$327 ₡147.2K

544.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

$775 ₡348.9K

35.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.17

11.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Coco: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $767 in Playa del Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $80.0 in Playa del Coco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $369 per month, with Mexico City 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 Playa del Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Playa del Coco differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,738 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 36% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $767 in Playa del Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $517 in Playa del Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $80.0 in Playa del Coco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,738 in Playa del Coco, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Playa del Coco. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Playa del Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.