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: $1,648 in Moscow versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,603 in Moscow versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Moscow versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Moscow is roughly 12% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Moscow 23% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.91 ₽953

$13.18 MX$228

-2.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 ₽4,192

$53.9 MX$934

5.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ₽463

$9.42 MX$163

-33.33%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ₽233

$3.55 MX$61.5

-10.99%

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

$1.38 ₽102

$1.62 MX$28.03

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽50.3

$1.11 MX$19.31

-38.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.54 ₽335

$3.12 MX$54.1

45.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 ₽333

$4.63 MX$80.2

-2.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ₽97.9

$1.70 MX$29.48

-21.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₽65.5

$2.72 MX$47.10

-67.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 ₽130

$1.91 MX$33.13

-7.85%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽137

$2.54 MX$43.94

-27.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 ₽952

$10.03 MX$174

28.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.89 ₽435

$8.09 MX$140

-27.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.24 ₽903

$11.62 MX$201

5.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₽140

$2.97 MX$51.4

-36.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ₽156

$1.81 MX$31.30

16.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₽174

$2.01 MX$34.88

17.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 ₽306

$2.03 MX$35.26

104.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ₽72.4

$2.12 MX$36.82

-53.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 ₽62.4

$2.27 MX$39.32

-62.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 ₽127

$1.40 MX$24.26

22.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₽59.9

$1.13 MX$19.59

-28.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₽229

$4.27 MX$74.0

-27.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 ₽804

$15.56 MX$270

-29.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₽80.1

$1.76 MX$30.44

-38.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₽175

$3.60 MX$62.3

-34.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ₽64.4

$0.38 MX$6.64

128.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.26 ₽2,824

$19.18 MX$332

99.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ₽186

$1.38 MX$23.84

82.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ₽34.89

$0.28 MX$4.79

67.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 ₽597

$5.45 MX$94.4

48.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₽59.9

$1.30 MX$22.60

-37.69%

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

$38.1K ₽2.8M

$18.7K MX$323.8K

103.98%

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

$37.2K ₽2.7M

$23.1K MX$400.8K

60.64%

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

$151 ₽11.1K

$40.86 MX$708

269.33%

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

$7.97 ₽588

$26.81 MX$465

-70.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.99 ₽590

$29.96 MX$519

-73.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.81 ₽3,454

$52.0 MX$901

-10.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.68 ₽2,559

$26.84 MX$465

29.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 ₽462

$6.30 MX$109

-0.63%

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

$707 ₽52.1K

$436 MX$7,558

62.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ₽1.1M

$10.4K MX$180.5K

39.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 ₽6,484

$56.7 MX$982

55.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 ₽3,935

$44.38 MX$769

20.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₽9,631

$103 MX$1,784

26.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 ₽11.7K

$106 MX$1,829

50.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 ₽97.2K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

28.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₽54.1K

$631 MX$10.9K

16.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,005 ₽221.7K

$2,136 MX$37.0K

40.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 ₽102.8K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

12.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K ₽865.8K

$3,903 MX$67.6K

200.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,027 ₽370.9K

$2,064 MX$35.8K

143.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,075 ₽153.1K

$1,115 MX$19.3K

86.12%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,317 in Moscow and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Moscow pays 86% 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 $247 vs $288, 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 12% in total monthly costs ($1,648 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Moscow pays 86% more on average, 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: $1,317 in Moscow versus $1,022 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 99% less than in Moscow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $707 in Moscow versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,648 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 12% less than in Moscow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.