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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $637 in Tartus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $990 in Tartus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,344 in Tartus.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 161% more expensive than in Tartus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Tartus is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$10.01 SYP 1,217

19.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$45.16 SYP 5,487

14.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$6.95 SYP 844

64.17%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$3.60 SYP 438

10.83%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$2.29 SYP 279

-27.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.81 SYP 98.9

64.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.94 SYP 236

78.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.95 SYP 359

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$0.48 SYP 58.7

291.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$0.41 SYP 50.2

692.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.78 SYP 95.3

176.92%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$0.86 SYP 104

237.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$3.83 SYP 466

235.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.07 SYP 372

227.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$13.56 SYP 1,647

16.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$1.03 SYP 125

219.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.38 SYP 167

45.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.09 SYP 132

101.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$0.22 SYP 26.60

972.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$0.22 SYP 26.60

831.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$0.30 SYP 36.32

533.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.40 SYP 48.53

302.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.61 SYP 74.6

129.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.74 SYP 333

99.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$6.03 SYP 732

192.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$1.10 SYP 134

87.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$2.85 SYP 347

64.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.32 SYP 39.34

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.99 SYP 120

112.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$1.48 SYP 180

-62.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$7.76 SYP 942

-25.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.65 SYP 443

-55.89%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$15.0K SYP 1.8M

52.13%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$18.8K SYP 2.3M

42.48%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$142 SYP 17.2K

-53.94%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$9.67 SYP 1,175

211.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$19.64 SYP 2,386

89.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$5.80 SYP 704

930.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.45 SYP 663

29.17%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$9.56 SYP 1,161

4760.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$1,801 SYP 218.8K

636.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$11.69 SYP 1,420

549.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$39.82 SYP 4,838

40.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$45.71 SYP 5,554

144.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$15.29 SYP 1,857

688.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$114 SYP 13.9K

865.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$76.3 SYP 9,268

844.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$233 SYP 28.4K

983.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$115 SYP 13.9K

1029.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$50.7 SYP 6,164

1944.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

14.25

-20.70%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tartus: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $114 in Tartus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 1945% 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 $45.00 in Tartus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $135 per month, with Tartus 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 Tartus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tartus differ by about 161% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $637 including rent). Tartus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1945% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $114 in Tartus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $9.56 in Tartus. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tartus – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $637 in Tartus versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tartus but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tartus 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 Tartus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.