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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,348 in Vac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $2,319 in Vac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $3,291 in Vac.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 22% more expensive than in Vac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Vac is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$206

$19.74 Ft 6,259

-38.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$887

$116 Ft 36.7K

-54.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$185

$9.76 Ft 3,094

11.68%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.8

$2.43 Ft 771

66.67%

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

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.58 Ft 500

8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.40

$1.23 Ft 391

12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

$2.17 Ft 688

59.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

$2.36 Ft 749

146.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.48

$1.38 Ft 437

34.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.7

$1.46 Ft 465

120.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.42

$2.36 Ft 748

-11.44%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.41

$3.42 Ft 1,084

-14.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$212

$8.53 Ft 2,704

46.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.30 Ft 1,997

60.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$270

$16.79 Ft 5,323

-5.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.3

$1.96 Ft 621

68.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.12

$2.09 Ft 663

1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.20

$2.09 Ft 664

4.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.57

$2.50 Ft 794

-2.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.18

$1.65 Ft 525

32.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.35

$1.20 Ft 381

58.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$1.40 Ft 443

15.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.92

$0.51 Ft 162

164.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$92.1

$8.12 Ft 2,575

-33.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

$5.27 Ft 1,670

233.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

$0.92 Ft 291

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

$2.31 Ft 732

105.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.77

$1.10 Ft 350

-69.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$366

$27.48 Ft 8,714

-21.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.65

$3.25 Ft 1,031

-37.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

$1.29 Ft 411

-55.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$19.63 Ft 6,225

-69.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$1.93 Ft 611

-16.06%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$29.7K Ft 9.4M

-23.13%

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

$26.7K MX$452.8K

$35.7K Ft 11.3M

-25.32%

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

$65.2 MX$1,108

$156 Ft 49.6K

-58.27%

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

$29.87 MX$507

$25.67 Ft 8,138

16.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$621

$22.13 Ft 7,017

65.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,036

$46.28 Ft 14.7K

31.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$453

$19.07 Ft 6,048

40.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$8.39 Ft 2,661

-18.36%

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

$453 MX$7,700

$262 Ft 83.2K

72.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.1K

$8,643 Ft 2.7M

54.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,273

$90.7 Ft 28.8K

-17.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$939

$31.39 Ft 9,954

76.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,929

$80.0 Ft 25.4K

42.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,083

$108 Ft 34.2K

13.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.3K

$526 Ft 166.9K

115.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.1K

$413 Ft 131.0K

72.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.7K

$851 Ft 269.9K

202.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.3K

$804 Ft 254.8K

63.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

$3,061 Ft 970.5K

30.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

$2,666 Ft 845.4K

-21.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

$1,462 Ft 463.6K

-28.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.68

69.16%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Vac: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $526 in Vac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vac pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $116 in Vac. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $241, with Vac cheaper for home cooking.

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 Vac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Vac differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $1,348 including rent). Vac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Vac. 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $526 in Vac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Vac runs roughly 27% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $262 in Vac. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,348 in Vac versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Vac but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Vac 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 Vac 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 Vac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.