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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $981 in Quito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,579 in Quito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,178 in Quito.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 71% more expensive than in Quito, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Quito is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$4.90 $4.90

147.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$55.1 $55.1

-2.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$7.70 $7.70

44.03%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.44 $3.44

19.19%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.44 $1.44

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$1.14 $1.14

21.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$3.44 $3.44

-3.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$5.62 $5.62

4.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.14 $1.14

62.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.58 $1.58

100.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.56 $1.56

32.69%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.16 $2.16

35.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$6.32 $6.32

99.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$5.49 $5.49

84.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$7.61 $7.61

111.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.33 $2.33

45.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.18 $1.18

76.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.33 $1.33

59.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.09 $1.09

121.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.19 $1.19

78.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.07 $1.07

87.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.85 $0.85

82.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$1.03 $1.03

32.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$6.03 $6.03

-4.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$9.92 $9.92

78.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.51 $1.51

37.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$3.18 $3.18

44.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.33 $0.33

12.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$21.41 $21.41

-1.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.47 $1.47

39.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.53 $1.53

-62.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$10.07 $10.07

-39.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.80 $0.80

93.75%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$21.0K $21.0K

9.06%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$28.0K $28.0K

-2.88%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$28.09 $28.09

139.98%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$17.68 $17.68

73.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$28.57 $28.57

30.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$45.71 $45.71

34.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$18.28 $18.28

48.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$6.69 $6.69

6.28%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$749 $749

-39.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$9,098 $9,098

50.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$64.5 $64.5

14.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$49.34 $49.34

15.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$114 $114

1.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$107 $107

13.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$485 $485

136.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$312 $312

127.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$949 $949

171.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$551 $551

134.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,787 $1,787

124.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$705 $705

202.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$595 $595

81.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.12

11.66%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Quito: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $485 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 82% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $55.0 in Quito. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $196, with Quito cheaper for home cooking.

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 Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Quito differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $981 including rent). Quito is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 82% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $485 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Quito runs roughly 1% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $749 in Quito. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $981 in Quito versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quito but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Quito 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 Quito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.