Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Tucson, AZ Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Tucson, AZ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,467 in Tucson, AZ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $3,600 in Tucson, AZ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $4,734 in Tucson, AZ.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 40% less than in Tucson, AZ, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Tucson, AZ 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$18.48 $18.48

-29.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$75.8 $75.8

-30.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$12.07 $12.07

-19.47%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$5.56 $5.56

-32.55%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$2.89 $2.89

-45.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$2.20 $2.20

-48.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$6.06 $6.06

-47.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$6.96 $6.96

-33.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$0.84 $0.84

92.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$3.40 $3.40

-20.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$5.34 $5.34

-64.79%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$4.15 $4.15

-39.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$10.90 $10.90

-7.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$11.72 $11.72

-29.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$14.77 $14.77

-19.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$4.90 $4.90

-41.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.95 $1.95

-10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$3.90 $3.90

-46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$4.15 $4.15

-52.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$2.47 $2.47

-12.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.52 $2.52

-13.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.99 $1.99

-30.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$2.47 $2.47

-54.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$9.35 $9.35

-55.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$14.83 $14.83

-3.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.07 $2.07

-14.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$3.33 $3.33

10.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.77 $0.77

-49.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$20.15 $20.15

-7.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$2.67 $2.67

-47.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.36 $1.36

-77.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$36.04 $36.04

-84.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.88 $0.88

53.41%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$31.3K $31.3K

-39.68%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

-13.59%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$266 $266

-84.65%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$70.4 $70.4

-60.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$80.7 $80.7

-62.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$39.84 $39.84

34.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$10.19 $10.19

158.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$13.19 $13.19

-52.46%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$1,089 $1,089

-59.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$15.3K $15.3K

-31.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$51.7 $51.7

9.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$39.79 $39.79

12.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$83.1 $83.1

23.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$107 $107

0.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$1,247 $1,247

-19.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$1,111 $1,111

-44.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$2,181 $2,181

-2.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$1,865 $1,865

-33.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$3,384 $3,384

14.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$2,542 $2,542

-8.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$3,941 $3,941

-72.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.54

73.39%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tucson, AZ: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $1,247 in Tucson, AZ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tucson, AZ pays 269% 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 $76.0 in Tucson, AZ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $385 per month, with Mexico City 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 Tucson, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tucson, AZ differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $2,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Tucson, AZ earns 269% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $1,247 in Tucson, AZ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 8% less than in Tucson, AZ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $1,089 in Tucson, AZ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,467 in Tucson, AZ, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Tucson, AZ. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Tucson, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.