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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $581 in Quellón.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $989 in Quellón.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,397 in Quellón.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 189% more expensive than in Quellón, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Quellón is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$916

$52.8 CLP 49.7K

2.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.6

$2.70 CLP 2,539

51.85%

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

$1.68 MX$28.57

$1.29 CLP 1,216

30.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.58

$0.82 CLP 770

69.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.6

$3.23 CLP 3,038

3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.9

$3.26 CLP 3,070

80.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.45

$1.26 CLP 1,188

46.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.9

$1.09 CLP 1,023

190.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.18

$2.12 CLP 1,998

-2.36%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.74

$2.97 CLP 2,795

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$6.27 CLP 5,899

100.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.6

$1.95 CLP 1,835

73.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.31

$2.31 CLP 2,170

-9.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.02

$3.82 CLP 3,597

-44.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$41.01

$1.96 CLP 1,840

22.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.17

$1.09 CLP 1,030

95.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.07

$2.09 CLP 1,966

-3.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.05 CLP 986

47.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.19

$2.19 CLP 2,066

-37.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$98.0

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$9.51 CLP 8,946

86.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.16

$2.86 CLP 2,694

-27.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.4

$1.90 CLP 1,787

142.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.49 CLP 465

-24.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$360

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.89

$3.27 CLP 3,077

-37.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$1.37 CLP 1,288

13.14%

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

$22.9K MX$388.6K

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

$27.2K MX$462.7K

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

$67.4 MX$1,145

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

$30.62 MX$520

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$633

$32.71 CLP 30.8K

13.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,044

$54.1 CLP 50.9K

13.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$461

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

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

$456 MX$7,750

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,260

$27.06 CLP 25.5K

174.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$969

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,961

$52.7 CLP 49.6K

119.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,064

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$268 CLP 252.3K

328.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.1K

$210 CLP 197.9K

237.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.8K

$427 CLP 402.3K

502.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$374 CLP 351.9K

246.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$68.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Quellón: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $268 in Quellón. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $53.0 in Quellón for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $186 per month, with Quellón 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 Quellón: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Quellón differ by about 189% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $581 including rent). Quellón is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,515 in Mexico City and $871 in Quellón to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $268 in Quellón. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Quellón – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,677 per month in Mexico City versus $581 in Quellón – a 189% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $581 in Quellón versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Quellón but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Quellón 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 Quellón gentler on the wallet – expenses run 189% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.