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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $577 in Tamarisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $926 in Tamarisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,274 in Tamarisi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 185% more expensive than in Tamarisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Tamarisi is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$10.03 ₾26.16

20.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$30.91 ₾80.6

68.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$10.44 ₾27.22

4.41%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$1.97 ₾5.14

105.58%

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

$1.72 MX$28.99

$0.76 ₾1.98

126.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.28

$0.51 ₾1.32

170.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$1.26 ₾3.29

175.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$1.96 ₾5.12

196.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.32

$1.82 ₾4.74

1.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$0.50 ₾1.30

544.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.24

$1.25 ₾3.26

67.20%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.16

$2.29 ₾5.98

27.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$6.02 ₾15.71

107.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$4.93 ₾12.86

105.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$10.44 ₾27.23

52.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$1.20 ₾3.14

175.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.94

$1.55 ₾4.03

37.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.02

$1.50 ₾3.91

46.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.36

$1.74 ₾4.54

40.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.99

$0.77 ₾2.00

184.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.19

$0.69 ₾1.81

175.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$1.28 ₾3.33

26.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.81

$0.67 ₾1.76

101.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$3.06 ₾7.97

77.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$3.81 ₾9.95

361.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

$1.64 ₾4.29

26.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$2.62 ₾6.84

81.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.48

$0.75 ₾1.96

172.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.76 ₾1.98

-23.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$5.82 ₾15.18

2.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$1.23 ₾3.22

31.71%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$22.9K ₾59.7K

-0.42%

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

$26.7K MX$450.6K

$22.8K ₾59.6K

16.75%

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

$65.2 MX$1,102

$75.9 ₾198

-14.06%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$8.84 ₾23.06

237.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$15.08 ₾39.33

142.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$4.77 ₾12.44

43.61%

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

$453 MX$7,662

$128 ₾333

254.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$2,643 ₾6,893

405.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$57.0 ₾149

31.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$934

$39.62 ₾103

39.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$97.4 ₾254

16.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$85.7 ₾223

43.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

15.67

-27.89%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tamarisi: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $31.00 in Tamarisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $179 per month, with Tamarisi 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 Tamarisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tamarisi differ by about 185% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $577 including rent). Tamarisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,469 in Mexico City and $866 in Tamarisi 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.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $128 in Tamarisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tamarisi – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $577 in Tamarisi versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tamarisi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tamarisi 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 Tamarisi 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 Tamarisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 185% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.