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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,198 in Tepic.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,980 in Tepic.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,762 in Tepic.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 40% more expensive than in Tepic, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Tepic is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$205

$14.61 MX$247

-16.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$910

$49.08 MX$829

9.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$187

$9.66 MX$163

14.80%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.2

$3.48 MX$58.8

17.82%

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

$1.68 MX$28.40

$1.79 MX$30.24

-6.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.44

$1.32 MX$22.22

5.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.2

$2.89 MX$48.81

15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.3

$5.51 MX$93.0

6.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.26

$1.67 MX$28.22

10.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.5

$2.73 MX$46.02

16.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.72 MX$29.09

20.35%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.44

$2.25 MX$37.91

30.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$213

$5.25 MX$88.7

139.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$10.24 MX$173

-1.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$272

$12.28 MX$207

31.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.2

$3.02 MX$51.1

12.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.09

$1.78 MX$29.98

16.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.80

$2.09 MX$35.21

1.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.76

$1.97 MX$33.30

22.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$2.18 MX$36.84

-2.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$33.86

$1.93 MX$32.65

4.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.09

$1.47 MX$24.88

5.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.04

$1.19 MX$20.05

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.4

$4.80 MX$81.0

20.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$300

$11.36 MX$192

56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

$0.92 MX$15.56

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$77.9

$3.60 MX$60.8

28.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.18

$0.86 MX$14.51

-56.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.68

$2.38 MX$40.13

-13.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.74

$1.50 MX$25.32

-61.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$12.71 MX$215

-52.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$1.53 MX$25.82

1.31%

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

$22.9K MX$386.2K

$23.0K MX$388.1K

-0.48%

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

$27.2K MX$459.8K

$26.1K MX$440.9K

4.30%

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

$67.4 MX$1,138

$46.23 MX$781

45.81%

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

$30.62 MX$517

$13.37 MX$226

129.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$629

$32.63 MX$551

14.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,038

$36.98 MX$624

66.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$458

$21.38 MX$361

26.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$120

$7.21 MX$122

-1.39%

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

$456 MX$7,703

$268 MX$4,522

70.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$231.2K

$11.5K MX$193.5K

19.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,253

$62.2 MX$1,049

19.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$963

$44.80 MX$756

27.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,949

$116 MX$1,953

-0.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,052

$92.9 MX$1,569

30.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.4K

$664 MX$11.2K

72.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$418 MX$7,059

69.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.5K

$1,100 MX$18.6K

134.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$21.9K

$836 MX$14.1K

54.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.6K

$1,989 MX$33.6K

101.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.0K

$1,244 MX$21.0K

71.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.3K

$709 MX$12.0K

52.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.68

-3.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Tepic: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $664 in Tepic. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 53% 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 $49.00 in Tepic for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $273 per month, with Tepic 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 Tepic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tepic differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $1,198 including rent). Tepic is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 53% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $664 in Tepic. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $268 in Tepic. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tepic – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,198 in Tepic versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tepic but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tepic 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 Tepic 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 Tepic gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.