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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,591 in Mexico City versus $688 in Varginha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,478 in Mexico City versus $1,110 in Varginha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,365 in Mexico City versus $1,533 in Varginha.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 131% more expensive than in Varginha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 18% above, Varginha is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.06 MX$219

$8.48 R$44.27

42.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 MX$923

$23.07 R$120

120.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$198

$6.78 R$35.39

60.77%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$68.2

$0.99 R$5.15

278.79%

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

$1.61 MX$29.28

$0.85 R$4.42

89.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$23.89

$0.59 R$3.10

123.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 MX$61.1

$1.38 R$7.20

144.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 MX$103

$3.40 R$17.76

67.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MX$32.14

$0.88 R$4.57

101.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$55.9

$1.56 R$8.12

97.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 MX$35.70

$0.98 R$5.12

101.02%

Eggs

$2.79 MX$50.7

$1.37 R$7.15

103.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.92 MX$216

$8.72 R$45.53

36.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 MX$171

$3.45 R$18.03

172.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 MX$278

$8.87 R$46.30

72.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 MX$57.3

$1.35 R$7.06

134.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 MX$35.96

$1.32 R$6.88

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$37.60

$1.00 R$5.24

107.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 MX$42.26

$0.99 R$5.18

135.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$37.57

$0.97 R$5.08

113.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 MX$34.91

$0.93 R$4.88

106.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 MX$27.67

$0.47 R$2.45

223.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$24.05

$0.65 R$3.37

103.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.26 MX$95.5

$2.16 R$11.27

143.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.84 MX$306

$4.77 R$24.90

253.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 MX$35.43

$1.08 R$5.65

80.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$79.4

$1.75 R$9.15

149.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.20

$0.91 R$4.78

-62.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.99 MX$363

$47.86 R$250

-58.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 MX$35.87

$0.92 R$4.78

115.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 MX$10.42

$0.69 R$3.58

-17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$98.5

$6.29 R$32.86

-13.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$27.74

$1.07 R$5.56

42.99%

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

$21.5K MX$390.2K

$23.2K R$121.4K

-7.55%

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

$25.3K MX$460.0K

$28.8K R$150.3K

-11.98%

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

$61.5 MX$1,117

$92.1 R$481

-33.22%

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

$27.38 MX$497

$4.86 R$25.38

463.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.93 MX$634

$18.99 R$99.2

83.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 MX$1,032

$24.39 R$127

132.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.27 MX$459

$26.99 R$141

-6.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 MX$124

$7.58 R$39.57

-9.76%

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

$438 MX$7,958

$210 R$1,094

109.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K MX$233.2K

$4,127 R$21.6K

211.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 MX$1,293

$34.00 R$178

109.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 MX$976

$56.7 R$296

-5.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$1,983

$77.9 R$407

40.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,120

$58.0 R$303

101.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 MX$19.1K

$144 R$752

629.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$686 MX$12.5K

$111 R$581

516.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,410 MX$43.8K

$264 R$1,381

811.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 MX$22.8K

$245 R$1,281

412.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,814 MX$69.2K

$1,615 R$8,434

136.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,994 MX$36.2K

$1,137 R$5,940

75.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$998 MX$18.1K

$437 R$2,283

128.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

13.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 26, 2026

Last update for Varginha: September 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,050 in Mexico City and $144 in Varginha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 128% 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: $51.0 in Mexico City vs $23.00 in Varginha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $160 per month, with Varginha 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 Varginha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Varginha differ by about 131% in total monthly costs ($1,591 vs $688 including rent). Varginha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 128% 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: $1,050 in Mexico City versus $144 in Varginha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Varginha runs roughly 139% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $438 in Mexico City versus $210 in Varginha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $688 in Varginha versus $1,591 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Varginha but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Varginha 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 Varginha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 131% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.