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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $423 in Mindelo versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $954 in Mindelo versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,486 in Mindelo versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Mindelo costs roughly 71% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mindelo is 68% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.32 CVE 1,091

$13.07 MX$229

-13.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 CVE 5,529

$53.8 MX$943

6.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

Cappuccino

$1.13 CVE 109

$3.74 MX$65.6

-69.79%

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

$1.02 CVE 98.8

$1.62 MX$28.34

-37.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 CVE 99.4

$1.16 MX$20.37

-11.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 CVE 324

$3.23 MX$56.6

4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CVE 175

$4.74 MX$83.1

-61.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 CVE 149

$1.65 MX$28.89

-6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 CVE 112

$2.75 MX$48.30

-57.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 CVE 77.7

$1.87 MX$32.87

-56.68%

Eggs

$2.72 CVE 262

$2.50 MX$43.86

8.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.92 CVE 1,535

$10.20 MX$179

56.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 CVE 1,744

$11.82 MX$207

53.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 CVE 211

$3.01 MX$52.8

-27.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 CVE 187

$1.81 MX$31.77

7.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CVE 289

$2.00 MX$35.07

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 CVE 306

$2.00 MX$35.00

58.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 CVE 82.4

$2.08 MX$36.56

-59.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 CVE 162

$2.27 MX$39.85

-25.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 CVE 104

$1.46 MX$25.55

-26.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 CVE 71.5

$1.08 MX$18.88

-31.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.32 CVE 513

$4.35 MX$76.3

22.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 CVE 803

$16.99 MX$298

-50.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CVE 186

$1.73 MX$30.40

11.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 CVE 196

$3.58 MX$62.7

-43.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 CVE 44.48

$0.39 MX$6.79

17.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.02 CVE 2,992

$18.69 MX$328

65.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 CVE 150

$1.33 MX$23.25

16.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CVE 140

$0.28 MX$4.91

421.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 CVE 1,015

$5.25 MX$92.1

100.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 CVE 172

$1.34 MX$23.44

32.84%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$40.69 MX$714

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

$26.87 MX$471

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.15 CVE 304

$26.65 MX$467

-88.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

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

$428 MX$7,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 CVE 35.2K

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-82.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 CVE 25.0K

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-78.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

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 Mindelo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $57.0 in Mindelo vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $292, with Mindelo cheaper for home cooking.

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

Mindelo vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mindelo and Mexico City differ by about 244% in total monthly costs ($423 vs $1,456 including rent). Mindelo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $634 in Mindelo and $2,185 in Mexico City 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Mindelo – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Mindelo runs roughly 66% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $423 in Mindelo versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mindelo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mindelo 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, Mindelo and Mexico City 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 Mindelo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 244% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.