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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,200 in Temuco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,768 in Temuco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $2,335 in Temuco.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 24% more expensive than Temuco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$6.99 CLP 6,215

85.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$32.11 CLP 28.6K

65.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$7.74 CLP 6,886

25.58%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.87 CLP 3,445

-3.10%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$2.32 CLP 2,067

-32.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$1.28 CLP 1,136

-11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$3.69 CLP 3,285

-13.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$3.47 CLP 3,088

34.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.18 CLP 1,046

37.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.47 CLP 1,307

84.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.31 CLP 1,162

43.51%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$3.54 CLP 3,149

-29.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$9.63 CLP 8,561

4.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.05 CLP 5,375

37.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$12.01 CLP 10.7K

-0.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.95 CLP 1,735

46.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.09 CLP 1,860

-16.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.13 CLP 1,891

-2.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$2.25 CLP 1,998

-12.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$2.47 CLP 2,199

-12.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.60 CLP 2,311

-16.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.93 CLP 1,717

-27.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.19 CLP 1,056

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$4.78 CLP 4,253

-12.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$5.16 CLP 4,590

176.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.58 CLP 1,401

11.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.13 CLP 1,896

72.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.86 CLP 761

-54.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$34.54 CLP 30.7K

-45.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.84 CLP 744

65.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.55 CLP 1,381

-80.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$9.97 CLP 8,868

-45.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.41 CLP 1,258

-4.26%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$13.2K CLP 11.7M

43.31%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$18.3K CLP 16.3M

26.19%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$217 CLP 192.6K

-81.15%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$11.89 CLP 10.6K

131.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$14.96 CLP 13.3K

103.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$49.69 CLP 44.2K

7.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$48.98 CLP 43.6K

-46.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$4.83 CLP 4,299

29.81%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$228 CLP 202.8K

91.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$2,869 CLP 2.6M

264.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$45.94 CLP 40.8K

23.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$18.48 CLP 16.4K

142.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$69.4 CLP 61.7K

48.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$88.3 CLP 78.5K

22.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$422 CLP 375.2K

136.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$343 CLP 304.9K

80.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$740 CLP 658.0K

188.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$524 CLP 465.7K

135.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$2,187 CLP 1.9M

76.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,837 CLP 1.6M

26.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$585 CLP 520.0K

82.49%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Temuco: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $422 in Temuco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 82% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $32.00 in Temuco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $240 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 24% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $1,200 including rent). Temuco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 82% more on average, 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $422 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 85% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $228 in Temuco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,200 in Temuco versus $1,484 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 24% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.