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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,732 in Moscow versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,677 in Moscow versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,622 in Moscow versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Moscow is roughly 3% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Moscow 26% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 ₽984

$12.14 MX$206

-3.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 ₽4,959

$53.9 MX$914

9.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 ₽581

$11.09 MX$188

-37.69%

Cappuccino

$3.54 ₽298

$4.10 MX$69.5

-13.66%

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

$1.56 ₽131

$1.68 MX$28.53

-7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽65.4

$1.39 MX$23.55

-43.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 ₽397

$3.33 MX$56.5

42.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 ₽396

$5.88 MX$99.7

-19.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 ₽100

$1.85 MX$31.41

-35.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽81.0

$3.17 MX$53.8

-69.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 ₽139

$2.07 MX$35.13

-19.81%

Eggs

$1.89 ₽159

$2.93 MX$49.67

-35.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.12 ₽1,102

$12.59 MX$214

4.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 ₽515

$10.11 MX$172

-39.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 ₽1,187

$16.09 MX$273

-12.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽163

$3.39 MX$57.5

-42.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 ₽144

$2.08 MX$35.26

-17.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 ₽165

$2.12 MX$35.97

-7.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 ₽336

$2.41 MX$40.95

65.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 ₽75.7

$2.13 MX$36.11

-57.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ₽57.7

$2.01 MX$34.02

-65.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 ₽131

$1.55 MX$26.21

0.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₽71.1

$1.36 MX$23.15

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₽269

$5.77 MX$97.8

-44.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 ₽984

$17.74 MX$301

-33.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₽95.6

$2.07 MX$35.11

-44.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₽196

$4.61 MX$78.3

-49.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₽79.6

$0.37 MX$6.21

156.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 ₽3,410

$21.18 MX$359

91.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₽300

$2.05 MX$34.84

74.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₽57.0

$0.58 MX$9.79

17.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.31 ₽867

$6.07 MX$103

69.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽68.7

$1.55 MX$26.34

-47.10%

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

$36.8K ₽3.1M

$22.9K MX$388.1K

60.94%

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

$37.3K ₽3.1M

$27.2K MX$462.0K

36.79%

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

$183 ₽15.4K

$67.4 MX$1,144

171.47%

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

$8.74 ₽735

$30.62 MX$520

-71.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.36 ₽787

$37.24 MX$632

-74.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.75 ₽3,257

$61.5 MX$1,043

-36.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.24 ₽3,719

$27.12 MX$460

63.13%

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 ₽681

$7.11 MX$121

13.92%

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

$765 ₽64.3K

$456 MX$7,739

67.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K ₽2.1M

$13.7K MX$232.3K

80.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₽8,511

$74.2 MX$1,259

36.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.9 ₽5,031

$57.0 MX$967

5.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 ₽11.8K

$115 MX$1,958

22.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 ₽14.4K

$122 MX$2,061

41.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₽120.1K

$1,148 MX$19.5K

24.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$762 ₽64.0K

$709 MX$12.0K

7.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,876 ₽241.7K

$2,577 MX$43.7K

11.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 ₽121.9K

$1,295 MX$22.0K

11.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K ₽853.3K

$4,005 MX$67.9K

153.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,438 ₽373.0K

$2,130 MX$36.1K

108.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,708 ₽143.5K

$1,082 MX$18.4K

57.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.86

11.3

75.75%

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

Last update for Moscow: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,429 in Moscow and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Moscow pays 58% 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: $59.0 in Moscow vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 vs $345, with Moscow cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Moscow and Mexico City differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,732 vs $1,677 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 58% higher in Moscow, 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: $1,429 in Moscow versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 92% less than in Moscow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $765 in Moscow versus $456 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,732 in Moscow, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Moscow. 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.