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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,193 in Temuco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,736 in Temuco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,279 in Temuco.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 23% more expensive than in Temuco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Temuco is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$7.21 CLP 6,706

82.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$32.62 CLP 30.4K

64.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.43 CLP 6,910

25.57%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.89 CLP 3,617

-4.88%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$2.33 CLP 2,166

-31.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$1.23 CLP 1,141

-8.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$3.83 CLP 3,566

-18.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$3.46 CLP 3,220

40.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.18 CLP 1,101

39.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.47 CLP 1,372

84.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.37 CLP 1,271

39.42%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$3.45 CLP 3,214

-24.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$9.64 CLP 8,966

1.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$6.37 CLP 5,927

32.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$12.11 CLP 11.3K

-1.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.93 CLP 1,795

52.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$2.06 CLP 1,919

-15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.19 CLP 2,038

-6.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$2.22 CLP 2,068

-7.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$2.49 CLP 2,314

-13.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$2.68 CLP 2,496

-15.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.93 CLP 1,797

-27.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.19 CLP 1,104

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$4.83 CLP 4,498

-12.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$5.02 CLP 4,674

248.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.63 CLP 1,515

4.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.24 CLP 2,088

62.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.87 CLP 812

-59.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$35.22 CLP 32.8K

-45.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.88 CLP 820

56.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.53 CLP 1,425

-81.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$9.92 CLP 9,232

-46.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.45 CLP 1,345

-6.21%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$13.0K CLP 12.1M

47.40%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$18.5K CLP 17.2M

27.61%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$211 CLP 196.6K

-80.82%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$11.86 CLP 11.0K

130.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$14.93 CLP 13.9K

103.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$50.0 CLP 46.5K

4.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$48.95 CLP 45.5K

-45.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$4.84 CLP 4,500

27.89%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$232 CLP 215.9K

83.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$2,914 CLP 2.7M

268.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$46.83 CLP 43.6K

24.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$18.67 CLP 17.4K

138.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$69.1 CLP 64.3K

49.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$88.5 CLP 82.3K

22.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$417 CLP 387.6K

143.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$342 CLP 317.9K

82.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$730 CLP 679.3K

190.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$538 CLP 500.8K

127.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$2,083 CLP 1.9M

82.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,697 CLP 1.6M

24.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$540 CLP 502.1K

94.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.8

136.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Temuco: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $417 in Temuco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 95% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $33.00 in Temuco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $242 per month, with Temuco 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 Temuco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Temuco differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,193 including rent). Temuco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 95% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $417 in Temuco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Temuco runs roughly 82% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $232 in Temuco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,193 in Temuco versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Temuco but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Temuco 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 Temuco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.