😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $889 in Resen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,364 in Resen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,838 in Resen.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 63% more expensive than Resen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Resen is 34% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Resen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98MX$223
$5.70MKD 302
127.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.6MX$903
$33.69MKD 1,788
56.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.43MX$162
$6.58MKD 349
43.31%
Cappuccino
$3.57MX$61.3
$2.31MKD 122
54.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61MX$27.55
$1.94MKD 103
-17.01%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15MX$19.81
$1.23MKD 65.3
-6.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.15MX$54.0
$2.65MKD 140
18.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.86MX$83.4
$2.78MKD 147
74.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Resen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70MX$29.17
$1.29MKD 68.4
31.78%
White Bread(500g)
$2.64MX$45.23
$0.67MKD 35.46
294.03%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.67
$1.74MKD 92.6
9.20%
Eggs
$2.54MX$43.62
$2.05MKD 109
23.90%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.08MX$173
$8.98MKD 476
12.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$142
$7.02MKD 372
18.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.57MX$199
$13.52MKD 717
-14.42%
Apples(1kg)
$3.03MX$52.0
$1.06MKD 56.3
185.85%
Banana(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.35
$1.41MKD 75.0
21.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.05MX$35.16
$1.29MKD 68.6
58.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.06MX$35.36
$1.58MKD 83.6
30.38%
Potato(1kg)
$2.06MX$35.43
$0.89MKD 47.01
131.46%
Onion(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.25
$0.96MKD 51.0
126.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.40MX$24.08
$0.53MKD 28.24
164.15%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.26
$0.53MKD 27.98
111.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29MX$73.7
$3.09MKD 164
38.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.41MX$265
$7.47MKD 396
106.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67MX$28.74
$0.96MKD 50.8
73.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69MX$63.3
$1.56MKD 82.9
136.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Resen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.38MX$6.55
$0.63MKD 33.55
-39.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.06MX$327
$20.02MKD 1,062
-4.80%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.38MX$23.70
$0.92MKD 48.60
50.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.28MX$4.74
$0.50MKD 26.36
-44.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.42MX$92.9
$6.51MKD 345
-16.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.28MX$21.98
$1.50MKD 79.7
-14.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.0KMX$325.8K
$32.2KMKD 1.7M
-41.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5KMX$402.7K
$29.9KMKD 1.6M
-21.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Resen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$41.02MX$704
$143MKD 7,574
-71.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.92MX$462
$17.80MKD 945
51.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.69MX$510
$15.56MKD 826
90.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Resen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.3MX$898
$26.51MKD 1,407
97.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.23MX$450
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.18MX$106
$4.75MKD 252
30.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Resen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$427MX$7,331
$219MKD 11.6K
94.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.7KMX$183.6K
$1,192MKD 63.3K
797.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Resen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8MX$975
$76.0MKD 4,034
-25.27%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.83MX$769
$39.84MKD 2,114
12.53%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$105MX$1,794
$74.1MKD 3,933
41.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106MX$1,819
$109MKD 5,807
-3.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Resen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$995MX$17.1K
$287MKD 15.3K
246.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$621MX$10.7K
$197MKD 10.4K
216.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126MX$36.5K
$554MKD 29.4K
283.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,254MX$21.5K
$312MKD 16.6K
301.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,903MX$67.0K
$1,418MKD 75.2K
175.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,096MX$36.0K
$1,383MKD 73.4K
51.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Resen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,107MX$19.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
4.54
149.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026
Last update for Resen: June 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $287 in Resen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $34.00 in Resen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $200 per month, with Resen 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 Resen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Resen?
Mexico City and Resen differ by about 63% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $889 including rent). Resen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Resen?
You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,334 in Resen 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 Resen?
Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $287 in Resen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and Resen?
A monthly transit pass in Resen runs roughly 5% 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 Resen?
Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $219 in Resen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $889 in Resen versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Resen but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Resen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Resen?
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.
Is Mexico City or Resen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Resen 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 Resen?
Expats usually find Resen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared