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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $820 in Tena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,399 in Tena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,979 in Tena.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 102% more expensive than in Tena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Tena is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$204

$5.54 $5.54

115.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$885

$54.7 $54.7

-5.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$7.78 $7.78

46.66%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.5

$3.41 $3.41

17.01%

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

$1.66 MX$28.45

$1.42 $1.42

16.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.74

$1.14 $1.14

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.5

$3.42 $3.42

1.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$5.62 $5.62

4.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.18

$1.11 $1.11

69.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.8

$1.56 $1.56

108.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.05

$1.50 $1.50

44.00%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.66

$2.09 $2.09

38.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$220

$6.36 $6.36

102.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$172

$5.74 $5.74

75.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$7.60 $7.60

108.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.5

$2.30 $2.30

43.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.40

$1.19 $1.19

68.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.28 $1.28

71.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.40

$1.09 $1.09

116.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.23

$1.25 $1.25

64.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.60

$1.07 $1.07

77.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.52

$0.87 $0.87

85.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.95

$1.02 $1.02

37.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.7

$6.09 $6.09

-10.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$9.86 $9.86

79.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.24

$1.53 $1.53

34.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.3

$3.05 $3.05

53.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.80

$0.36 $0.36

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$20.17 $20.17

3.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.95

$1.52 $1.52

38.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.59

$0.76 $0.76

-26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.7

$10.17 $10.17

-42.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.53

$0.86 $0.86

87.21%

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

$22.8K MX$391.6K

$20.9K $20.9K

9.44%

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

$26.8K MX$458.6K

$28.2K $28.2K

-5.12%

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

$65.2 MX$1,117

$28.51 $28.51

128.62%

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

$30.09 MX$516

$17.85 $17.85

68.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$637

$28.35 $28.35

31.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,024

$30.05 $30.05

98.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$455

$14.81 $14.81

79.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.96 $6.96

1.15%

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

$465 MX$7,967

$215 $215

115.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.6K

$9,077 $9,077

46.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,301

$63.3 $63.3

19.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$959

$48.80 $48.80

14.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,918

$114 $114

-1.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,066

$108 $108

12.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$300 $300

266.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$184 $184

290.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$685 $685

269.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$411 $411

214.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.4K

$1,094 $1,094

264.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.8K

$784 $784

166.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.12

11.66%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tena: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $300 in Tena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $55.0 in Tena. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $196, with Tena cheaper for home cooking.

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 Tena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tena differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $820 including rent). Tena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $1,229 in Tena 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $300 in Tena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tena runs roughly 3% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $215 in Tena. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $820 in Tena versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tena but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tena 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 Tena 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 Tena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.