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: $1,683 in Moscow versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,643 in Moscow versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,603 in Moscow versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Moscow is roughly 16% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Moscow 26% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.68 ₽996

$13.07 MX$228

-2.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 ₽4,500

$53.8 MX$936

6.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 ₽504

$9.68 MX$169

-33.68%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ₽262

$3.74 MX$65.1

-10.70%

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

$1.39 ₽109

$1.62 MX$28.13

-14.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽53.2

$1.16 MX$20.23

-41.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 ₽347

$3.23 MX$56.2

36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₽345

$4.74 MX$82.5

-7.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₽100.0

$1.65 MX$28.68

-23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₽69.3

$2.75 MX$47.95

-68.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₽133

$1.87 MX$32.63

-9.63%

Eggs

$1.92 ₽151

$2.50 MX$43.54

-23.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 ₽1,051

$10.20 MX$178

31.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 ₽483

$8.25 MX$144

-25.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 ₽964

$11.82 MX$206

3.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₽153

$3.01 MX$52.4

-35.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ₽163

$1.81 MX$31.54

14.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₽181

$2.00 MX$34.81

15.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 ₽330

$2.00 MX$34.74

109.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 ₽78.4

$2.08 MX$36.30

-51.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ₽67.5

$2.27 MX$39.56

-62.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 ₽130

$1.46 MX$25.36

13.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₽59.2

$1.08 MX$18.74

-30.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₽245

$4.35 MX$75.7

-28.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 ₽1,002

$16.99 MX$296

-24.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₽85.1

$1.73 MX$30.18

-37.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₽184

$3.58 MX$62.3

-34.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽68.0

$0.39 MX$6.74

123.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.34 ₽2,934

$18.69 MX$325

99.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 ₽202

$1.33 MX$23.08

93.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ₽34.64

$0.28 MX$4.87

57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 ₽632

$5.25 MX$91.5

53.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 ₽63.2

$1.34 MX$23.27

-40.30%

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

$37.8K ₽3.0M

$19.4K MX$338.0K

94.65%

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

$36.0K ₽2.8M

$23.8K MX$415.0K

51.18%

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

$150 ₽11.8K

$40.69 MX$709

267.93%

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

$8.15 ₽640

$26.87 MX$468

-69.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.13 ₽639

$30.51 MX$531

-73.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 ₽3,755

$52.8 MX$919

-9.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.23 ₽2,768

$26.65 MX$464

32.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 ₽498

$6.51 MX$113

-2.76%

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

$694 ₽54.5K

$428 MX$7,454

62.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.2M

$10.5K MX$182.8K

41.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 ₽6,859

$57.3 MX$997

52.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 ₽4,158

$45.50 MX$792

16.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ₽10.4K

$104 MX$1,812

27.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 ₽12.9K

$108 MX$1,878

51.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₽105.7K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

34.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ₽59.4K

$623 MX$10.8K

21.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,963 ₽232.8K

$2,109 MX$36.7K

40.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 ₽108.8K

$1,218 MX$21.2K

13.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K ₽865.0K

$3,885 MX$67.6K

183.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,689 ₽368.3K

$2,033 MX$35.4K

130.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,779 ₽139.8K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

71.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.39

11.34

115.08%

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

Last update for Moscow: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,346 in Moscow and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Moscow pays 71% 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: $57.0 in Moscow vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $292, 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 16% in total monthly costs ($1,683 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 71% 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: $1,346 in Moscow versus $1,003 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 100% less than in Moscow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $694 in Moscow versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,683 in Moscow, a $2,000 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 16% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.