Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Rรขศ™nov Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Rรขศ™nov

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,037 in Rรขศ™nov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,576 in Rรขศ™nov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,114 in Rรขศ™nov.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 40% more expensive than Rรขศ™nov, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Rรขศ™nov is 23% below.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Mexico City
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98 MX$223
$8.57 RONย 38.76
51.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.6 MX$903
$40.40 RONย 183
30.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.43 MX$162
$8.05 RONย 36.40
17.14%
Cappuccino
$3.57 MX$61.3
$2.31 RONย 10.46
54.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$27.55
$1.33 RONย 6.00
21.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 MX$19.81
$1.15 RONย 5.22
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$54.0
$2.16 RONย 9.76
45.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.86 MX$83.4
$2.83 RONย 12.80
71.73%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$29.17
$1.52 RONย 6.88
11.84%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 MX$45.23
$1.17 RONย 5.31
125.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 MX$32.67
$1.57 RONย 7.10
21.02%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$43.62
$3.02 RONย 13.65
-15.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.08 MX$173
$8.47 RONย 38.33
19.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$142
$6.98 RONย 31.59
18.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.57 MX$199
$11.85 RONย 53.6
-2.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.03 MX$52.0
$1.01 RONย 4.57
200.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.35
$1.36 RONย 6.16
25.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.05 MX$35.16
$1.52 RONย 6.89
34.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$35.36
$1.95 RONย 8.80
5.64%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$35.43
$0.90 RONย 4.07
128.89%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.25
$0.92 RONย 4.15
135.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 MX$24.08
$0.76 RONย 3.42
84.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12 MX$19.26
$0.80 RONย 3.63
40.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 MX$73.7
$6.04 RONย 27.31
-28.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.41 MX$265
$7.50 RONย 33.93
105.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$28.74
$1.07 RONย 4.85
56.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 MX$63.3
$1.69 RONย 7.63
118.34%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Mexico City
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 MX$6.55
$0.67 RONย 3.05
-43.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.06 MX$327
$19.81 RONย 89.6
-3.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.38 MX$23.70
$0.71 RONย 3.20
94.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 MX$4.74
$0.61 RONย 2.75
-54.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.42 MX$92.9
$6.80 RONย 30.75
-20.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 MX$21.98
$1.63 RONย 7.36
-21.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.0K MX$325.8K
$27.7K RONย 125.2K
-31.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$402.7K
$27.6K RONย 124.7K
-14.90%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$41.02 MX$704
$168 RONย 758
-75.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.92 MX$462
$8.27 RONย 37.39
225.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.69 MX$510
$9.12 RONย 41.24
225.55%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 MX$898
$41.59 RONย 188
25.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.23 MX$450
$19.03 RONย 86.1
37.83%
Cinema Ticket
$6.18 MX$106
$5.90 RONย 26.68
4.75%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,331
$445 RONย 2,013
-4.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K MX$183.6K
$6,566 RONย 29.7K
62.92%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8 MX$975
$72.5 RONย 328
-21.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.83 MX$769
$42.20 RONย 191
6.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 MX$1,794
$97.0 RONย 439
7.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 MX$1,819
$79.1 RONย 358
34.03%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$17.1K
$392 RONย 1,773
153.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$621 MX$10.7K
$286 RONย 1,294
117.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,126 MX$36.5K
$595 RONย 2,693
257.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,254 MX$21.5K
$441 RONย 1,994
184.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,903 MX$67.0K
$1,938 RONย 8,766
101.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,096 MX$36.0K
$1,395 RONย 6,309
50.26%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,107 MX$19.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.34
7.7
47.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rรขศ™nov: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $392 in Rรขศ™nov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $40.00 in Rรขศ™nov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $211 per month, with Rรขศ™nov 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 Rรขศ™nov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Rรขศ™nov?
Mexico City and Rรขศ™nov differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,037 including rent). Rรขศ™nov is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Rรขศ™nov?
You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,555 in Rรขศ™nov 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Rรขศ™nov?
Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $392 in Rรขศ™nov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and Rรขศ™nov?
A monthly transit pass in Rรขศ™nov runs roughly 4% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Rรขศ™nov?
Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $445 in Rรขศ™nov. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,037 in Rรขศ™nov versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rรขศ™nov but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Rรขศ™nov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Rรขศ™nov?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Mexico City or Rรขศ™nov safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Rรขศ™nov are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Rรขศ™nov?
Expats usually find Rรขศ™nov gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 40% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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