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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $930 in Popovo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,435 in Popovo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,941 in Popovo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 78% more expensive than in Popovo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Popovo is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$8.65 BGN 14.40

37.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$29.93 BGN 49.79

72.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.14 BGN 11.88

59.80%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$1.19 BGN 1.99

235.29%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.75 BGN 1.24

121.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$1.60 BGN 2.67

-16.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$2.59 BGN 4.31

33.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$4.24 BGN 7.06

39.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$1.57 BGN 2.62

19.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$1.11 BGN 1.85

192.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$2.30 BGN 3.83

-6.09%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$2.75 BGN 4.58

5.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$7.09 BGN 11.80

81.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$8.37 BGN 13.92

20.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$14.40 BGN 23.95

10.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$1.52 BGN 2.52

116.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.45 BGN 2.41

38.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.50 BGN 2.50

46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$2.25 BGN 3.74

4.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$1.04 BGN 1.72

97.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$1.08 BGN 1.80

75.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$1.26 BGN 2.10

27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.76 BGN 1.27

84.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$4.13 BGN 6.87

32.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$6.59 BGN 10.97

167.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$0.86 BGN 1.42

139.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$2.09 BGN 3.48

123.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.91 BGN 1.52

-62.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$23.84 BGN 39.67

-12.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.62 BGN 1.03

238.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.62 BGN 1.03

-9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$8.29 BGN 13.80

-29.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.61 BGN 2.68

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$28.9K BGN 48.0K

-20.87%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$22.8K BGN 38.0K

17.16%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$116 BGN 194

-44.03%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$18.75 BGN 31.20

60.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$15.81 BGN 26.30

135.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$20.63 BGN 34.32

189.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$18.07 BGN 30.06

46.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.57 BGN 10.93

7.15%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$527 BGN 876

-11.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$5,608 BGN 9,330

136.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$52.2 BGN 86.9

45.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$41.82 BGN 69.6

33.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$71.3 BGN 119

56.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$47.77 BGN 79.5

152.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$364 BGN 605

203.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$245 BGN 407

194.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$500 BGN 831

406.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$382 BGN 636

238.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$1,541 BGN 2,564

158.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,055 BGN 1,755

98.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,324 BGN 2,203

-21.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.1

264.52%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Popovo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $364 in Popovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Popovo pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $30.00 in Popovo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $228 per month, with Popovo 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 Popovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Popovo differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $930 including rent). Popovo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Popovo. 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $364 in Popovo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Popovo runs roughly 15% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $527 in Popovo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $930 in Popovo versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Popovo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Popovo 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 Popovo 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 Popovo 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.