😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,094 in Villahermosa.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,342 in Mexico City versus $1,790 in Villahermosa.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Mexico City versus $2,487 in Villahermosa.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 36% more expensive than Villahermosa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Villahermosa is 19% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Villahermosa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.29MX$231
$10.63MX$185
25.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.8MX$933
$34.84MX$605
54.28%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.29MX$161
$10.62MX$184
-12.52%
Cappuccino
$3.61MX$62.6
$3.15MX$54.7
14.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56MX$27.03
$1.18MX$20.43
32.20%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.46
$0.93MX$16.17
20.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.13MX$54.3
$2.81MX$48.78
11.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.71MX$81.7
$5.20MX$90.2
-9.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Villahermosa
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70MX$29.54
$1.34MX$23.25
26.87%
White Bread(500g)
$2.77MX$48.03
$1.63MX$28.36
69.94%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.96MX$34.05
$1.29MX$22.37
51.94%
Eggs
$2.60MX$45.21
$2.32MX$40.34
12.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.94MX$173
$8.64MX$150
15.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.10MX$141
$10.12MX$176
-19.96%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.50MX$200
$13.13MX$228
-12.41%
Apples(1kg)
$2.87MX$49.84
$3.34MX$58.0
-14.07%
Banana(1kg)
$1.73MX$30.07
$1.30MX$22.65
33.08%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.00MX$34.73
$1.55MX$26.98
29.03%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.04MX$35.38
$1.18MX$20.41
72.88%
Potato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.14
$1.57MX$27.21
32.48%
Onion(1kg)
$2.20MX$38.12
$1.33MX$23.13
65.41%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.45MX$25.24
$1.28MX$22.29
13.28%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MX$18.63
$1.10MX$19.11
-2.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27MX$74.2
$5.12MX$88.9
-16.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.32MX$249
$10.14MX$176
41.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.62
$2.62MX$45.52
-32.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70MX$64.2
$6.29MX$109
-41.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Villahermosa
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.35MX$6.12
$0.64MX$11.15
-45.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.19MX$333
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.34MX$23.18
$2.16MX$37.42
-37.96%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.28MX$4.83
$1.54MX$26.66
-81.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.33MX$92.6
$8.06MX$140
-33.87%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34MX$23.27
$1.28MX$22.21
4.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.1KMX$332.0K
$22.6KMX$393.0K
-15.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9KMX$414.5K
$26.1KMX$452.7K
-8.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Villahermosa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$39.86MX$692
$60.3MX$1,047
-33.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.78MX$465
$28.49MX$495
-6.00%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.36MX$510
$29.13MX$506
0.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Villahermosa
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4MX$927
$44.42MX$771
20.28%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.09MX$453
$15.97MX$277
63.37%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40MX$111
$3.68MX$63.9
73.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Villahermosa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$440MX$7,647
$298MX$5,165
48.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.8KMX$186.6K
$4,351MX$75.5K
147.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Villahermosa
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6MX$1,000
$57.3MX$994
0.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.02MX$781
$40.18MX$697
12.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104MX$1,801
$76.8MX$1,333
35.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108MX$1,874
$58.4MX$1,013
84.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Villahermosa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,013MX$17.6K
$344MX$5,969
194.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$630MX$10.9K
$371MX$6,442
69.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,162MX$37.5K
$831MX$14.4K
160.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,222MX$21.2K
$825MX$14.3K
48.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,793MX$65.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332MX$40.5K
$1,278MX$22.2K
82.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Villahermosa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,075MX$18.7K
-
-
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: April 11, 2026
Last update for Villahermosa: April 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,013 in Mexico City and $344 in Villahermosa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $54 in Mexico City vs $35 in Villahermosa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $268 per month, with Villahermosa 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 Villahermosa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Villahermosa?
Mexico City and Villahermosa differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $1,094 including rent). Villahermosa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Villahermosa?
You'd need roughly $2,226 in Mexico City and $1,641 in Villahermosa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Villahermosa?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,013 in Mexico City versus $344 in Villahermosa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Villahermosa?
Childcare runs $440 in Mexico City versus $298 in Villahermosa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Villahermosa – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,094 in Villahermosa versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Villahermosa but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Villahermosa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Villahermosa?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Villahermosa?
Expats usually find Villahermosa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared