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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,067 in Varese.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $3,485 in Varese.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $4,904 in Varese.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 20% less than in Varese, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 21% above, Varese 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$22.96 €20.01

-48.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$103 €89.8

-49.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$14.70 €12.82

-22.38%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.29 €1.99

74.24%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$3.71 €3.23

-55.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.74 €1.52

-23.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$6.85 €5.97

-49.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$6.41 €5.58

-7.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.81 €1.58

3.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.95 €2.57

10.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$3.15 €2.75

-31.43%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$4.58 €3.99

-36.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$18.12 €15.79

-29.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$13.22 €11.52

-23.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$29.04 €25.32

-45.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.67 €2.33

23.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$2.41 €2.10

-16.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$3.03 €2.64

-27.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$3.97 €3.46

-40.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$2.65 €2.31

-22.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.22 €1.93

-14.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.51 €1.31

6.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.56 €0.49

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$6.83 €5.96

-20.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.15 €7.11

116.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.80 €1.57

14.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.61 €1.40

190.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$2.74 €2.39

-87.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$51.6 €44.95

-59.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$5.91 €5.15

-64.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$2.27 €1.98

-75.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$40.33 €35.15

-85.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$2.07 €1.80

-22.22%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$36.9K €32.1K

-38.05%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$36.8K €32.1K

-27.24%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$222 €193

-70.58%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$13.58 €11.84

121.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$31.96 €27.86

16.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$47.69 €41.57

25.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$26.14 €22.79

1.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$12.05 €10.50

-41.58%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$759 €661

-38.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$7,215 €6,290

83.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$113 €98.8

-33.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$58.0 €50.6

-3.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$132 €115

-15.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$168 €146

-28.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$975 €850

13.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$732 €638

-1.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,760 €1,534

43.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$1,643 €1,432

-21.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,671 €2,328

49.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,727 €1,505

21.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$2,459 €2,143

-57.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.62

212.15%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Varese: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $975 in Varese. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varese pays 137% 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 $103 in Varese for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $399 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 Varese: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Varese differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $2,067 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 137% lower in Varese. 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $975 in Varese. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 148% less than in Varese. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $759 in Varese. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,067 in Varese, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Varese. 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Varese 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Varese. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.