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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $764 in Zacapoaxtla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,231 in Zacapoaxtla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,698 in Zacapoaxtla.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 89% more expensive than Zacapoaxtla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Zacapoaxtla is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$4.38 MX$76.4

196.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$918

$21.46 MX$375

145.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$165

$5.36 MX$93.5

75.93%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$62.3

$2.49 MX$43.48

43.37%

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

$1.61 MX$28.02

$0.99 MX$17.31

62.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$20.14

$1.07 MX$18.75

7.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$1.26 MX$21.91

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$84.8

$1.93 MX$33.68

151.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.66

$1.24 MX$21.69

37.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.39 MX$24.21

89.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.22

$1.48 MX$25.86

28.38%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.35

$2.28 MX$39.84

11.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$3.20 MX$55.8

215.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.67 MX$81.4

77.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$202

$4.61 MX$80.5

150.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$1.26 MX$21.93

140.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.85

$1.03 MX$18.03

66.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.76

$0.56 MX$9.79

266.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.95

$1.01 MX$17.61

103.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$36.03

$0.80 MX$14.00

157.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.87

$1.04 MX$18.23

108.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.49

$1.11 MX$19.44

26.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.58

$0.92 MX$16.08

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$74.9

$4.17 MX$72.7

2.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$269

$13.59 MX$237

13.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$29.23

$1.12 MX$19.60

49.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$64.3

$1.57 MX$27.46

135.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.66

$0.68 MX$11.92

-44.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$333

$42.11 MX$735

-54.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.10

$1.33 MX$23.26

3.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.82

$0.28 MX$4.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.5

$5.29 MX$92.3

2.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.35

$1.28 MX$22.37

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

$19.0K MX$331.3K

$13.5K MX$236.5K

40.09%

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

$23.5K MX$409.5K

$23.7K MX$414.4K

-1.19%

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

$41.02 MX$716

$40.25 MX$703

1.91%

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

$26.92 MX$470

$26.22 MX$458

2.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$518

$30.10 MX$525

-1.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$913

$35.37 MX$617

47.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$458

$16.01 MX$279

63.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$108

$2.61 MX$45.59

136.78%

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

$427 MX$7,454

$209 MX$3,650

104.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.7K

$3,626 MX$63.3K

195.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$992

$18.20 MX$318

212.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$782

$23.46 MX$410

91.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,824

$42.14 MX$736

148.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,849

$34.82 MX$608

204.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.4K

$497 MX$8,673

100.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.8K

$247 MX$4,305

151.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$37.1K

$987 MX$17.2K

115.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.9K

$588 MX$10.3K

113.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.1K

$1,928 MX$33.6K

102.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.6K

$1,288 MX$22.5K

62.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.3K

$630 MX$11.0K

75.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zacapoaxtla: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $497 in Zacapoaxtla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 76% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $21.00 in Zacapoaxtla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $164 per month, with Zacapoaxtla 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 Zacapoaxtla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Zacapoaxtla differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $764 including rent). Zacapoaxtla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 76% more on average, 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $497 in Zacapoaxtla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zacapoaxtla runs roughly 121% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $209 in Zacapoaxtla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $764 in Zacapoaxtla versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zacapoaxtla but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Zacapoaxtla 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 Zacapoaxtla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.