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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,668 in Mexico City versus $1,682 in Quesada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $2,662 in Quesada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Mexico City versus $3,643 in Quesada.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 1% less than in Quesada, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 24% above, Quesada 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$213

$12.35 ₡5,568

-2.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$934

$60.0 ₡27.0K

-11.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$207

$11.72 ₡5,285

-0.26%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$68.4

$4.33 ₡1,952

-10.62%

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

$1.75 MX$30.94

$2.59 ₡1,167

-32.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$24.65

$1.87 ₡841

-25.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$59.4

$3.35 ₡1,509

0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$102

$2.45 ₡1,105

135.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$31.92

$2.47 ₡1,114

-26.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$54.5

$2.76 ₡1,244

11.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.65

$2.42 ₡1,092

-11.98%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$52.6

$2.61 ₡1,176

14.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$221

$10.64 ₡4,797

17.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$181

$10.46 ₡4,715

-2.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$281

$14.02 ₡6,323

13.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$59.8

$5.04 ₡2,273

-32.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.24

$1.66 ₡749

27.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.59

$1.08 ₡488

97.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$43.61

$3.87 ₡1,747

-36.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.03

$3.93 ₡1,771

-48.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.59

$3.68 ₡1,658

-45.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.15

$1.10 ₡494

44.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.50

$3.25 ₡1,464

-59.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$97.0

$5.93 ₡2,674

-7.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$310

$15.48 ₡6,980

13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$35.61

$2.82 ₡1,271

-28.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.8

$3.56 ₡1,603

33.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.94

$1.36 ₡612

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.28

$1.52 ₡683

34.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.75

$1.59 ₡718

-61.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$101

$8.72 ₡3,933

-34.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.09

$1.51 ₡680

5.30%

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

$22.9K MX$404.6K

$21.7K ₡9.8M

5.64%

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

$26.4K MX$466.2K

$34.9K ₡15.8M

-24.52%

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

$64.2 MX$1,135

$97.7 ₡44.1K

-34.27%

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

$29.42 MX$520

$30.61 ₡13.8K

-3.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$651

$54.5 ₡24.5K

-32.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,038

$74.3 ₡33.5K

-20.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

$16.42 ₡7,403

61.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$123

$5.58 ₡2,517

24.55%

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

$463 MX$8,180

$253 ₡114.0K

83.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$236.2K

$4,309 ₡1.9M

210.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,333

$70.9 ₡32.0K

6.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$958

$55.7 ₡25.1K

-2.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,965

$131 ₡58.8K

-14.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,160

$113 ₡51.0K

7.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.0K

$807 ₡363.8K

40.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.3K

$637 ₡287.4K

9.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.2K

$1,850 ₡834.0K

32.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.0K

$1,270 ₡572.5K

2.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$69.1K

$4,282 ₡1.9M

-8.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.6K

$2,186 ₡985.6K

-5.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

8.78

28.70%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Quesada: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Mexico City and $807 in Quesada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $60.0 in Quesada for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $372 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 Quesada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Quesada differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,668 vs $1,682 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,502 in Mexico City and $2,523 in Quesada 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: $1,133 in Mexico City versus $807 in Quesada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $463 in Mexico City versus $253 in Quesada. 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 $53.0 versus $60.0 in Quesada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,668 in Mexico City versus $1,682 in Quesada, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Quesada. 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Quesada 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Quesada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.