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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,343 in Oranjestad versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,189 in Oranjestad versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,035 in Oranjestad versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Oranjestad is roughly 41% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oranjestad 71% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.82 AWG 39.05

$11.92 MX$206

83.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 AWG 143

$51.6 MX$890

54.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 AWG 18.02

$11.41 MX$197

-11.74%

Cappuccino

$4.29 AWG 7.67

$3.99 MX$68.9

7.52%

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

$1.41 AWG 2.52

$1.66 MX$28.61

-15.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 AWG 2.84

$1.33 MX$22.87

19.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 AWG 5.52

$3.47 MX$59.9

-11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 AWG 7.19

$5.90 MX$102

-31.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 AWG 3.24

$1.88 MX$32.36

-3.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 AWG 5.41

$3.25 MX$56.1

-6.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 AWG 5.23

$2.16 MX$37.26

35.19%

Eggs

$5.46 AWG 9.77

$2.90 MX$49.94

88.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 AWG 22.62

$12.86 MX$222

-1.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 AWG 16.98

$10.05 MX$173

-5.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.01 AWG 21.49

$15.86 MX$273

-24.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 AWG 8.52

$3.29 MX$56.8

44.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 AWG 3.94

$2.01 MX$34.60

9.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.94 AWG 8.84

$2.20 MX$37.93

124.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 AWG 6.11

$2.36 MX$40.63

44.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 AWG 3.93

$2.05 MX$35.43

7.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 AWG 3.51

$1.90 MX$32.79

3.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 AWG 4.62

$1.61 MX$27.68

60.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 AWG 2.80

$1.40 MX$24.09

11.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.85 AWG 17.62

$5.46 MX$94.2

80.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 AWG 17.61

$17.65 MX$304

-44.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.89 AWG 6.96

$2.06 MX$35.44

88.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 AWG 7.80

$4.68 MX$80.8

-6.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 AWG 3.83

$0.34 MX$5.84

529.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 AWG 53.6

$20.81 MX$359

43.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.19 AWG 30.76

$2.10 MX$36.15

718.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.83 AWG 6.86

$0.56 MX$9.64

583.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.50 AWG 43.84

$5.81 MX$100

321.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 AWG 3.64

$1.61 MX$27.68

26.71%

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

$26.5K AWG 47.4K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

16.01%

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

$35.9K AWG 64.3K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

34.36%

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

$250 AWG 448

$65.2 MX$1,124

283.95%

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

$48.21 AWG 86.3

$30.09 MX$519

60.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$107 AWG 191

$37.18 MX$641

186.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 AWG 112

$59.8 MX$1,030

4.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.95 AWG 46.43

$26.55 MX$458

-2.26%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 AWG 21.24

$7.04 MX$121

68.61%

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

$251 AWG 449

$465 MX$8,012

-46.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,523 AWG 15.3K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-35.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 AWG 109

$75.9 MX$1,308

-19.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 AWG 89.7

$56.0 MX$965

-10.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 AWG 198

$112 MX$1,929

-1.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 AWG 182

$121 MX$2,078

-15.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$935 AWG 1,673

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-15.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$936 AWG 1,676

$721 MX$12.4K

29.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 AWG 4,828

$2,530 MX$43.6K

6.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,088 AWG 5,526

$1,293 MX$22.3K

138.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,288 AWG 4,094

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-42.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,710 AWG 3,060

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-18.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,708 AWG 3,056

$1,037 MX$17.9K

64.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

11.3

-44.69%

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

Last update for Oranjestad: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $935 in Oranjestad and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 65% 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: $80.0 in Oranjestad vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $345 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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

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

Oranjestad and Mexico City differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($2,343 vs $1,660 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 65% higher in Oranjestad, 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: $935 in Oranjestad versus $1,103 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 44% less than in Oranjestad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $251 in Oranjestad versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,343 in Oranjestad, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Oranjestad. 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.

Safety-wise, Oranjestad 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.