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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $2,761 in Waterford.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $3,971 in Waterford.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $5,181 in Waterford.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 47% less than in Waterford, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Waterford 107% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$23.48 €20.33

-44.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$92.7 €80.2

-42.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$12.42 €10.76

-24.88%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.89 €3.37

-4.88%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$2.38 €2.06

-32.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$2.15 €1.86

-47.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$7.15 €6.19

-56.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$5.40 €4.68

-10.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.37 €1.19

20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$2.80 €2.42

-3.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.40 €2.08

-20.42%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$4.36 €3.77

-40.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$11.83 €10.24

-17.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$10.59 €9.17

-20.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$13.96 €12.09

-14.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.04 €2.63

-2.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$2.61 €2.26

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$3.33 €2.88

-38.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$3.78 €3.27

-45.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$2.34 €2.03

-8.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.46 €1.26

54.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.32 €1.14

5.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.94 €1.68

-42.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$18.10 €15.67

-76.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$19.55 €16.93

-10.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.90 €2.51

-41.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$3.26 €2.83

11.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$2.55 €2.21

-86.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$66.0 €57.1

-70.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$6.19 €5.36

-77.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.15 €0.99

-75.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$34.61 €29.97

-84.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.98 €1.72

-31.31%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$37.5K €32.5K

-49.06%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$41.5K €36.0K

-43.15%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$217 €188

-81.34%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$25.80 €22.34

6.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$62.4 €54.1

-51.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$48.28 €41.81

8.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$14.42 €12.49

83.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$13.23 €11.46

-53.21%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$1,221 €1,058

-65.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$7,827 €6,778

37.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$95.2 €82.5

-38.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$56.2 €48.68

-20.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$113 €97.7

-8.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$130 €113

-16.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$1,735 €1,502

-41.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$1,398 €1,211

-55.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$2,727 €2,362

-22.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$2,165 €1,875

-43.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$3,927 €3,401

-3.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$2,854 €2,471

-26.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$3,275 €2,836

-67.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.23

168.09%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Waterford: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $1,735 in Waterford. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Waterford pays 211% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $93.0 in Waterford for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $361 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 Waterford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Waterford differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $2,761 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 211% lower in Waterford. 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $1,735 in Waterford. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 241% less than in Waterford. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $1,221 in Waterford. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $2,761 in Waterford, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Waterford. 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 Waterford 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 88% less than in Waterford. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.