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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $623 in Zaragoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,033 in Zaragoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,443 in Zaragoza.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 134% more expensive than in Zaragoza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Zaragoza is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$8.03 $8.03

62.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$29.95 $29.95

79.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$6.85 $6.85

41.31%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.52 $1.52

146.05%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.09 $1.09

48.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.92 $0.92

26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.22 $1.22

164.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.11 $2.11

124.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.81 $1.81

-8.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$2.06 $2.06

33.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.01 $1.01

85.15%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.44 $2.44

2.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$7.09 $7.09

43.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.94 $3.94

109.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$5.60 $5.60

111.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$3.12 $3.12

-3.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.67 $1.67

8.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.59 $2.59

-22.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$2.24 $2.24

-10.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$2.25 $2.25

-7.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.81 $1.81

25.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.94 $0.94

55.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.72 $0.72

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.77 $3.77

15.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$8.03 $8.03

111.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.55 $1.55

11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.27 $2.27

57.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.56 $0.56

-30.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$5.02 $5.02

-73.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$3.06 $3.06

-90.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$19.60 $19.60

-73.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.05 $1.05

27.62%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$25.5K $25.5K

-23.81%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$24.8K $24.8K

-4.06%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$44.68 $44.68

-8.93%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$19.15 $19.15

40.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$34.98 $34.98

-12.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$34.90 $34.90

51.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$5.13 $5.13

26.90%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$147 $147

191.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$5,830 $5,830

80.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$66.3 $66.3

-13.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$42.87 $42.87

6.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$109 $109

-4.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$70.3 $70.3

53.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

8.58

32.17%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zaragoza: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $30.00 in Zaragoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $209 per month, with Zaragoza 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 Zaragoza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Zaragoza differ by about 134% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $623 including rent). Zaragoza is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,185 in Mexico City and $935 in Zaragoza 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.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $147 in Zaragoza. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zaragoza – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $623 in Zaragoza versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zaragoza but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Zaragoza 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 Zaragoza gentler on the wallet – expenses run 134% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.