Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Tuxtla Gutierrez Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Tuxtla Gutierrez

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $941 in Tuxtla Gutierrez.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,514 in Tuxtla Gutierrez.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,087 in Tuxtla Gutierrez.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 55% more expensive than in Tuxtla Gutierrez, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Tuxtla Gutierrez is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$7.24 MX$127

80.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$940

$18.32 MX$320

193.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$6.88 MX$120

40.70%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.4

$3.58 MX$62.6

4.47%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$1.23 MX$21.43

31.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.31

$1.08 MX$18.88

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.4

$2.62 MX$45.77

23.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.9

$2.96 MX$51.8

60.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.80

$1.31 MX$22.94

25.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.15

$2.34 MX$40.87

17.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.77

$1.54 MX$27.01

21.43%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.72

$2.35 MX$41.10

6.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$23.81 MX$416

-57.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$6.92 MX$121

19.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$10.79 MX$189

9.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

$2.57 MX$44.94

17.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

$1.15 MX$20.10

57.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.96

$2.78 MX$48.53

-28.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.89

$1.55 MX$27.16

29.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$1.45 MX$25.32

43.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

$2.11 MX$36.88

7.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.47

$1.05 MX$18.34

39.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.82

$0.51 MX$8.93

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.0

$3.99 MX$69.8

9.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$297

$11.53 MX$202

47.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.31

$1.55 MX$27.04

11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.5

$2.81 MX$49.18

27.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.77

$0.52 MX$9.05

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

$28.99 MX$507

-35.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$2.67 MX$46.69

-50.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

$2.63 MX$45.96

-89.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

$5.20 MX$90.9

0.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$1.32 MX$23.02

1.52%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

$20.9K MX$365.8K

-7.23%

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

$22.4K MX$392.3K

6.23%

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

$40.69 MX$712

$56.9 MX$995

-28.49%

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

$26.87 MX$470

$21.59 MX$378

24.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$534

$26.47 MX$463

15.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

$49.57 MX$867

6.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

$13.04 MX$228

104.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$5.80 MX$101

12.24%

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

$428 MX$7,485

$206 MX$3,609

107.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

$2,215 MX$38.7K

374.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,001

$10.54 MX$184

443.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$796

$16.02 MX$280

184.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,819

$53.0 MX$927

96.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,885

$42.29 MX$739

154.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$312 MX$5,457

221.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$228 MX$3,987

173.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.9K

$778 MX$13.6K

170.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$598 MX$10.5K

103.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$511 MX$8,927

103.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.5

-1.39%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tuxtla Gutierrez: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $312 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 103% 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 $18.00 in Tuxtla Gutierrez for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $284 per month, with Tuxtla Gutierrez 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 Tuxtla Gutierrez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tuxtla Gutierrez differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $941 including rent). Tuxtla Gutierrez is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 103% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $312 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tuxtla Gutierrez runs roughly 55% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $206 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $941 in Tuxtla Gutierrez versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tuxtla Gutierrez but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tuxtla Gutierrez 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 Tuxtla Gutierrez gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.