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: $1,985 in Oranjestad versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,132 in Oranjestad versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,279 in Oranjestad versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Oranjestad is roughly 35% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oranjestad 49% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.90 AWG 33.83

$13.14 MX$227

43.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 AWG 144

$53.5 MX$926

50.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 AWG 18.70

$9.33 MX$161

12.00%

Cappuccino

$3.74 AWG 6.70

$3.70 MX$64.0

1.08%

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

$1.41 AWG 2.52

$1.60 MX$27.76

-11.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 AWG 2.89

$1.12 MX$19.34

43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 AWG 5.27

$3.14 MX$54.3

-6.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 AWG 7.07

$4.85 MX$83.9

-18.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 AWG 3.40

$1.65 MX$28.61

15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 AWG 5.40

$2.71 MX$46.96

11.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 AWG 5.17

$1.91 MX$33.03

51.31%

Eggs

$5.31 AWG 9.50

$2.59 MX$44.81

105.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 AWG 22.48

$9.81 MX$170

28.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 AWG 16.22

$8.43 MX$146

7.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.32 AWG 22.05

$11.93 MX$206

3.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 AWG 8.24

$2.95 MX$51.1

56.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 AWG 4.12

$1.74 MX$30.10

32.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.94 AWG 8.84

$2.04 MX$35.38

142.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 AWG 6.34

$2.06 MX$35.64

71.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 AWG 4.00

$2.15 MX$37.20

3.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 AWG 3.48

$2.26 MX$39.02

-13.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 AWG 4.78

$1.39 MX$23.97

92.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 AWG 2.83

$1.12 MX$19.31

41.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.95 AWG 17.80

$4.22 MX$73.0

135.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 AWG 18.34

$17.51 MX$303

-41.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.91 AWG 6.99

$1.71 MX$29.58

128.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 AWG 7.94

$3.63 MX$62.8

22.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 AWG 3.95

$0.35 MX$6.10

531.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.60 AWG 53.0

$19.32 MX$334

53.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.15 AWG 30.70

$1.38 MX$23.80

1142.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.79 AWG 6.78

$0.28 MX$4.77

1253.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.63 AWG 44.07

$5.28 MX$91.3

366.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 AWG 2.73

$1.36 MX$23.50

12.50%

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

$26.4K AWG 47.3K

$19.1K MX$330.5K

38.26%

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

$35.5K AWG 63.6K

$23.6K MX$408.4K

50.54%

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

$250 AWG 447

$40.53 MX$701

516.53%

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

$48.78 AWG 87.3

$27.38 MX$474

78.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 AWG 189

$30.38 MX$526

246.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 AWG 189

$52.2 MX$903

101.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.32 AWG 47.09

$26.48 MX$458

-0.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 AWG 21.21

$6.19 MX$107

91.44%

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

$246 AWG 441

$425 MX$7,355

-42.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,679 AWG 15.5K

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-19.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 AWG 107

$58.3 MX$1,009

2.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 AWG 89.6

$44.57 MX$771

12.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 AWG 194

$103 MX$1,791

4.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 AWG 183

$109 MX$1,881

-5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 AWG 1,198

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-33.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$577 AWG 1,033

$623 MX$10.8K

-7.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 AWG 2,596

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-31.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 AWG 2,436

$1,223 MX$21.2K

11.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,204 AWG 3,944

$3,792 MX$65.6K

-41.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,736 AWG 3,107

$2,110 MX$36.5K

-17.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,737 AWG 3,108

$1,052 MX$18.2K

65.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

11.34

-44.89%

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

Last update for Oranjestad: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Oranjestad and $1,014 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $293 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 35% in total monthly costs ($1,985 vs $1,472 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: $669 in Oranjestad versus $1,014 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 53% less than in Oranjestad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $246 in Oranjestad versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,985 in Oranjestad, a $2,000 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 35% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.