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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $929 in Tula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,436 in Tula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,942 in Tula.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 77% more expensive than in Tula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Tula is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$9.53 ₽824

27.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$35.05 ₽3,033

49.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$5.10 ₽441

113.73%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$2.30 ₽199

76.09%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$1.79 ₽155

-3.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.83 ₽71.5

66.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$2.14 ₽185

62.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$2.76 ₽239

110.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$1.17 ₽101

58.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$0.60 ₽52.1

436.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$1.60 ₽138

30.62%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$1.82 ₽158

59.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$9.05 ₽783

38.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$4.88 ₽422

107.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$8.39 ₽726

89.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$1.48 ₽128

123.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$1.75 ₽151

21.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$1.25 ₽108

75.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$1.86 ₽161

31.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$0.99 ₽85.6

121.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$0.96 ₽83.5

97.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$2.11 ₽182

-23.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.48 ₽41.76

181.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$2.30 ₽199

136.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$6.18 ₽535

184.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$0.91 ₽79.1

127.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$0.96 ₽83.0

394.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$0.50 ₽43.26

-32.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$16.14 ₽1,396

33.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$1.51 ₽131

35.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.67 ₽57.9

-13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$4.25 ₽368

40.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.79 ₽68.0

105.06%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$21.2K ₽1.8M

7.50%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$27.6K ₽2.4M

-3.38%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$119 ₽10.3K

-45.33%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$5.14 ₽445

481.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$7.33 ₽634

398.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$15.05 ₽1,303

305.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$8.75 ₽757

205.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$4.50 ₽390

52.22%

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

$453 MX$7,664

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$40.45 ₽3,500

85.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$76.7 ₽6,633

48.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$171 ₽14.8K

-28.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$352 ₽30.5K

221.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$288 ₽24.9K

147.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$647 ₽56.0K

297.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$527 ₽45.6K

148.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$1,723 ₽149.1K

131.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,039 ₽89.9K

101.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$862 ₽74.6K

21.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

25.33

-55.39%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tula: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $352 in Tula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 22% 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 $35.00 in Tula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $178 per month, with Tula 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 Tula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tula differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $929 including rent). Tula is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 22% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $352 in Tula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tula – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Tula runs roughly 34% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $929 in Tula versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tula but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tula 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 Tula 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 Tula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.