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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $964 in Quito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,468 in Quito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,972 in Quito.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 52% more expensive than Quito, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Quito is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$4.42 $4.42

198.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$33.14 $33.14

62.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$7.35 $7.35

28.16%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.90 $2.90

22.41%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.11 $1.11

45.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.72 $0.72

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.02 $2.02

54.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$3.97 $3.97

16.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.09 $1.09

55.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.51 $1.51

80.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.86 $1.86

2.69%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.23 $2.23

13.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$8.85 $8.85

13.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$7.71 $7.71

4.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.99 $7.99

45.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.03 $2.03

46.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.22 $1.22

48.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.02 $1.02

97.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.33 $1.33

52.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.39 $1.39

52.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.05 $1.05

116.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.80 $0.80

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.01 $1.01

11.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$5.92 $5.92

-27.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$8.22 $8.22

89.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.59 $1.59

10.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.96 $2.96

21.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.33 $0.33

15.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$26.47 $26.47

-27.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.49 $1.49

-7.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.46 $1.46

-80.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$10.19 $10.19

-46.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.66 $0.66

96.97%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$19.9K $19.9K

-6.26%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$25.4K $25.4K

-9.10%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$34.15 $34.15

19.65%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$14.26 $14.26

88.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$29.42 $29.42

1.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$41.02 $41.02

26.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$16.95 $16.95

58.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$6.89 $6.89

-8.56%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$278 $278

56.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$8,696 $8,696

19.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$57.3 $57.3

-1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$42.95 $42.95

3.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$102 $102

0.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$87.2 $87.2

21.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$448 $448

128.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$318 $318

98.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$767 $767

178.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$504 $504

146.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,692 $1,692

130.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$729 $729

183.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$612 $612

82.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.19

1.34%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Quito: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $448 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 $33.00 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $212 per month, with Quito 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 Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Quito differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $964 including rent). Quito is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 82% more on average, 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $448 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 38% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $278 in Quito. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $964 in Quito versus $1,467 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 52% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.