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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,668 in Mexico City versus $670 in Ungheni.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,036 in Ungheni.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Mexico City versus $1,402 in Ungheni.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 149% more expensive than in Ungheni, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 24% above, Ungheni is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$213

$7.50 MDL 132

60.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$934

$22.81 MDL 402

131.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$207

$6.79 MDL 120

72.16%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$68.4

$1.40 MDL 24.74

176.43%

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

$1.75 MX$30.94

$0.72 MDL 12.70

143.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$24.65

$0.47 MDL 8.28

195.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$59.4

$1.05 MDL 18.57

220.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$102

$1.41 MDL 24.84

309.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$31.92

$1.73 MDL 30.45

4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$54.5

$0.35 MDL 6.18

780.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.65

$0.83 MDL 14.70

156.63%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$52.6

$1.98 MDL 34.92

50.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$221

$10.09 MDL 178

24.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$181

$3.87 MDL 68.2

164.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$281

$8.49 MDL 149

87.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$59.8

$0.44 MDL 7.74

670.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.24

$1.28 MDL 22.47

64.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.59

$1.11 MDL 19.49

91.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$43.61

$1.12 MDL 19.75

120.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.03

$0.45 MDL 7.89

353.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.59

$0.32 MDL 5.71

528.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.15

$2.31 MDL 40.62

-31.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.50

$0.78 MDL 13.67

70.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$97.0

$3.48 MDL 61.2

57.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$310

$4.17 MDL 73.5

320.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$35.61

$1.42 MDL 24.96

41.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.8

$1.68 MDL 29.51

182.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.94

$0.35 MDL 6.21

-2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.28

$1.66 MDL 29.31

23.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.75

$0.42 MDL 7.37

45.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$101

$3.81 MDL 67.1

49.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.09

$1.41 MDL 24.77

12.77%

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

$22.9K MX$404.6K

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

$26.4K MX$466.2K

$20.9K MDL 368.2K

26.15%

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

$64.2 MX$1,135

$142 MDL 2,501

-54.75%

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

$29.42 MX$520

$11.43 MDL 201

157.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$651

$16.12 MDL 284

128.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,038

$14.34 MDL 253

309.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$123

$3.97 MDL 69.9

75.06%

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

$463 MX$8,180

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$236.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,333

$48.76 MDL 859

54.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$958

$16.90 MDL 298

220.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,965

$33.60 MDL 592

230.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,160

$68.4 MDL 1,204

78.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.0K

$257 MDL 4,532

340.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.3K

$114 MDL 2,011

511.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.2K

$344 MDL 6,058

609.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.0K

$286 MDL 5,041

355.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$69.1K

$2,306 MDL 40.6K

69.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.6K

$1,701 MDL 29.9K

21.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

$559 MDL 9,849

88.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

41.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Ungheni: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Mexico City and $257 in Ungheni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 88% 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 $23.00 in Ungheni for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $166 per month, with Ungheni 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 Ungheni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Ungheni differ by about 149% in total monthly costs ($1,668 vs $670 including rent). Ungheni is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 88% 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: $1,133 in Mexico City versus $257 in Ungheni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ungheni – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,668 per month in Mexico City versus $670 in Ungheni – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $670 in Ungheni versus $1,668 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ungheni but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ungheni 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 Ungheni 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 Ungheni gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.