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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $830 in Samaxi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,525 in Samaxi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,221 in Samaxi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 98% more expensive than in Samaxi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Samaxi is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$8.26 ₼14.04

46.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$29.71 ₼50.5

75.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$5.78 ₼9.83

88.58%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$2.75 ₼4.68

47.27%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$0.91 ₼1.55

89.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.34 ₼0.57

305.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$1.21 ₼2.06

186.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$2.28 ₼3.88

154.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$1.29 ₼2.19

43.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$0.36 ₼0.61

794.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$2.29 ₼3.89

-8.73%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$1.17 ₼1.99

148.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$2.92 ₼4.96

327.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$4.47 ₼7.60

126.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$8.78 ₼14.93

80.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$0.64 ₼1.08

417.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$1.59 ₼2.71

33.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$1.37 ₼2.33

59.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$1.05 ₼1.78

133.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$0.64 ₼1.09

242.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$0.49 ₼0.83

287.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.47 ₼0.80

244.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.58 ₼0.99

132.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$3.54 ₼6.02

53.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$5.41 ₼9.19

225.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$0.85 ₼1.44

143.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$1.94 ₼3.29

144.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$0.30 ₼0.51

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$14.61 ₼24.82

47.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$1.73 ₼2.94

17.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.30 ₼0.51

93.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$2.98 ₼5.07

100.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.61 ₼1.04

165.57%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$23.3K ₼39.6K

-1.99%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$25.1K ₼42.7K

6.09%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$33.73 ₼57.3

93.42%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$12.89 ₼21.91

131.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$14.43 ₼24.53

153.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$29.30 ₼49.79

108.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$14.75 ₼25.07

81.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$7.13 ₼12.11

-3.93%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$238 ₼404

90.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$11.7K ₼20.0K

13.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$46.76 ₼79.5

60.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$58.4 ₼99.2

-5.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$117 ₼199

-3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$116 ₼198

5.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$377 ₼641

200.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$297 ₼504

139.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$716 ₼1,217

259.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$875 ₼1,487

49.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$2,055 ₼3,493

94.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,177 ₼2,000

78.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$343 ₼583

205.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

41.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Samaxi: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $377 in Samaxi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 205% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $30.00 in Samaxi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $142 per month, with Samaxi 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 Samaxi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Samaxi differ by about 98% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $830 including rent). Samaxi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 205% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $377 in Samaxi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Samaxi runs roughly 48% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $238 in Samaxi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $830 in Samaxi versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Samaxi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Samaxi 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 Samaxi 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 Samaxi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.