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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $518 in Pucallpa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $854 in Pucallpa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,190 in Pucallpa.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 218% more expensive than in Pucallpa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Pucallpa is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$204

$2.42 PEN 8.11

400.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$881

$11.82 PEN 39.64

341.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$5.36 PEN 17.98

103.36%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$2.05 PEN 6.87

97.56%

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

$1.72 MX$28.95

$1.01 PEN 3.40

70.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.25

$0.31 PEN 1.05

345.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

$1.82 PEN 6.11

90.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

$2.43 PEN 8.14

139.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.28

$1.05 PEN 3.51

76.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$3.80 PEN 12.76

-15.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.20

$1.20 PEN 4.04

74.17%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.10

$1.80 PEN 6.05

61.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$2.11 PEN 7.06

491.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$4.26 PEN 14.28

137.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$3.49 PEN 11.71

355.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.33 PEN 7.81

42.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.90

$1.45 PEN 4.88

46.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.97

$1.47 PEN 4.93

48.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.31

$2.74 PEN 9.19

-10.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.95

$2.95 PEN 9.90

-25.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.15

$2.10 PEN 7.04

-9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.26

$2.33 PEN 7.82

-30.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.78

$1.02 PEN 3.42

32.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$4.74 PEN 15.89

14.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$8.10 PEN 27.16

117.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.90

$2.43 PEN 8.16

-14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

$3.67 PEN 12.31

29.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$1.20 PEN 4.03

-71.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.44

$1.51 PEN 5.06

35.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

$0.57 PEN 1.92

1.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.27

$1.25 PEN 4.18

29.60%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

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

$26.7K MX$450.0K

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

$65.2 MX$1,101

$54.1 PEN 181

20.66%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$36.00 PEN 121

-17.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

$43.74 PEN 147

-16.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

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

$453 MX$7,652

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,265

$54.5 PEN 183

37.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$933

$36.01 PEN 121

53.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,917

$35.19 PEN 118

222.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,070

$69.4 PEN 233

76.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

$118 PEN 397

857.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$239 PEN 801

976.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

$127 PEN 425

934.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$418 PEN 1,403

150.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Pucallpa: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $118 in Pucallpa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 150% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in Pucallpa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $209 per month, with Pucallpa 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 Pucallpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Pucallpa differ by about 218% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $518 including rent). Pucallpa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 150% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $118 in Pucallpa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pucallpa – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $518 in Pucallpa – a 218% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $518 in Pucallpa versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pucallpa but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pucallpa 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 Pucallpa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 218% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.