Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico and Brazil Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico and Brazil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,121 per month in Mexico vs $765 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,787 per month in Mexico vs $1,223 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,453 per month in Mexico vs $1,681 in Brazil, rent included.

Mexico costs about 47% more than Brazil on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Mexico and Brazil are more affordable than the global median – Mexico 16% lower, Brazil 43% lower.

Mexico has a wider regional cost range ($692$2,378) than Brazil ($563$1,048), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Mexico.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico
Brazil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.68 MX$186
$5.51 R$27.43
93.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.85 MX$746
$29.01 R$144
47.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.97 MX$139
$6.15 R$30.63
29.59%
Cappuccino
$3.24 MX$56.4
$1.72 R$8.59
88.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 MX$22.43
$1.12 R$5.59
15.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 MX$17.06
$0.71 R$3.51
38.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 MX$42.20
$1.76 R$8.75
38.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.16 MX$72.3
$2.66 R$13.25
56.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico
Brazil
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 MX$26.18
$0.99 R$4.95
51.52%
White Bread (500g)
$2.63 MX$45.79
$1.47 R$7.34
78.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.76 MX$30.68
$1.22 R$6.05
44.26%
Eggs
$2.37 MX$41.20
$2.10 R$10.43
12.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.40 MX$146
$8.74 R$43.52
-3.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 MX$135
$3.70 R$18.44
110.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.84 MX$189
$7.43 R$37.01
45.90%
Apples (1kg)
$2.72 MX$47.25
$2.15 R$10.70
26.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$26.01
$1.32 R$6.56
12.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.84 MX$32.03
$1.14 R$5.69
61.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.43
$1.45 R$7.22
28.28%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 MX$34.84
$1.18 R$5.86
69.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 MX$34.23
$1.06 R$5.26
85.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 MX$21.80
$0.71 R$3.54
76.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 MX$18.44
$0.64 R$3.18
65.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 MX$73.0
$2.18 R$10.88
92.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.54 MX$201
$8.05 R$40.09
43.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 MX$28.73
$1.18 R$5.89
39.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 MX$52.7
$2.25 R$11.18
34.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico
Brazil
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.61 MX$10.55
$0.86 R$4.29
-29.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.13 MX$455
$41.78 R$208
-37.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.58 MX$44.96
$1.10 R$5.49
134.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.90 MX$32.98
$0.84 R$4.17
126.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.69 MX$186
$7.40 R$36.87
44.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.00
$1.08 R$5.38
22.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.1K MX$350.5K
$21.6K R$107.7K
-6.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$406.0K
$27.2K R$135.5K
-14.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico
Brazil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.2 MX$1,100
$68.1 R$339
-7.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.53 MX$409
$14.12 R$70.3
66.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32 MX$493
$19.25 R$95.8
47.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico
Brazil
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.34 MX$615
$23.11 R$115
52.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.15 MX$316
$22.58 R$112
-19.62%
Cinema Ticket
$4.84 MX$84.2
$6.26 R$31.16
-22.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico
Brazil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$251 MX$4,360
$282 R$1,406
-11.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,789 MX$100.7K
$7,250 R$36.1K
-20.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico
Brazil
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.6 MX$916
$49.23 R$245
6.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.09 MX$698
$42.14 R$210
-4.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.0 MX$1,619
$75.1 R$374
23.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.8 MX$1,563
$62.0 R$309
44.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico
Brazil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$641 MX$11.2K
$326 R$1,625
96.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$450 MX$7,830
$226 R$1,128
98.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,249 MX$21.7K
$654 R$3,259
90.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$861 MX$15.0K
$450 R$2,241
91.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,740 MX$47.7K
$1,947 R$9,697
40.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 MX$27.6K
$1,317 R$6,558
20.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico
Brazil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$804 MX$14.0K
$541 R$2,695
48.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
11.16
2.60%

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

Last update for Mexico: April 26, 2026

Last update for Brazil: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $530 in Mexico vs $305 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,000 in Mexico City and $402 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $774 in Mexico vs $498 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 74% higher in Mexico.

Dining out costs 44% more in Mexico.

Public transport is 255% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 55% higher in Mexico.

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 vs Brazil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Brazil and Mexico compare in cost of living?
Brazil is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 91% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Brazil and Mexico?
Housing costs more in Mexico, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Mexico consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Brazil or Mexico?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Brazil, contributing to the overall 91% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $2,000 go in Brazil vs Mexico?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Brazil, but in Mexico it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Brazil and Mexico?
Brazil is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Mexico vs other spots: cost of living compared

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