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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $683 in Timbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $1,101 in Timbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $1,519 in Timbo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 112% more expensive than in Timbo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Timbo is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$225

$4.48 R$23.12

189.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$908

$32.20 R$166

62.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$168

$3.58 R$18.46

170.67%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.1

$1.84 R$9.49

103.80%

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

$1.56 MX$27.14

$0.95 R$4.92

64.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.10

$0.61 R$3.13

90.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$56.3

$1.67 R$8.61

94.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$85.0

$2.10 R$10.83

133.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.54

$0.78 R$4.03

117.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$46.30

$1.36 R$7.03

96.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.77

$0.83 R$4.30

127.71%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.74

$1.70 R$8.78

48.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$174

$7.41 R$38.26

35.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$148

$3.22 R$16.63

164.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$207

$6.94 R$35.84

72.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.6

$1.67 R$8.61

77.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.14

$0.61 R$3.13

193.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.69

$0.71 R$3.64

181.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.03

$1.27 R$6.54

54.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.53

$0.87 R$4.50

148.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.38

$0.87 R$4.49

160.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.34

$0.59 R$3.06

137.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.34

$0.72 R$3.73

54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.9

$1.46 R$7.55

187.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$287

$5.06 R$26.11

226.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.19

$1.00 R$5.17

68.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$62.3

$1.82 R$9.38

97.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$0.88 R$4.56

-55.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

$38.07 R$197

-49.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.98

$1.16 R$5.99

18.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.24

$0.67 R$3.43

-55.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$93.5

$6.13 R$31.65

-12.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.32

$0.92 R$4.75

40.22%

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

$18.9K MX$327.9K

$18.7K R$96.5K

1.06%

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

$23.8K MX$413.0K

$24.8K R$127.9K

-3.94%

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

$39.86 MX$692

$52.3 R$270

-23.76%

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

$27.83 MX$483

$11.57 R$59.7

140.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$517

$21.06 R$109

41.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$902

$22.42 R$116

131.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$455

$21.79 R$112

20.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$5.31 R$27.40

18.08%

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

$433 MX$7,508

$215 R$1,111

101.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.9K

$2,549 R$13.2K

313.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$989

$28.72 R$148

98.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$787

$36.59 R$189

23.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,768

$53.2 R$274

91.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,883

$45.31 R$234

139.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.2K

$309 R$1,597

221.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.7K

$220 R$1,137

180.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$36.2K

$572 R$2,954

264.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.8K

$429 R$2,213

192.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$68.3K

$1,520 R$7,847

158.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$36.2K

$1,132 R$5,844

84.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.6K

$677 R$3,492

67.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.09%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Timbo: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Mexico City and $309 in Timbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 67% 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 $32.00 in Timbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $146 per month, with Timbo 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 Timbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Timbo differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($1,448 vs $683 including rent). Timbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 67% 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: $994 in Mexico City versus $309 in Timbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Timbo runs roughly 98% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $433 in Mexico City versus $215 in Timbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $683 in Timbo versus $1,448 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Timbo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Timbo 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 Timbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.