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: $1,989 in Oranjestad versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,152 in Oranjestad versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,315 in Oranjestad versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Oranjestad is roughly 34% more expensive than 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

$19.34 AWG 34.62

$12.98 MX$227

49.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 AWG 146

$53.1 MX$929

53.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 AWG 18.50

$9.72 MX$170

6.38%

Cappuccino

$3.63 AWG 6.49

$3.75 MX$65.6

-3.20%

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

$1.47 AWG 2.63

$1.57 MX$27.46

-6.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 AWG 2.84

$1.13 MX$19.76

40.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 AWG 5.40

$3.18 MX$55.7

-5.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 AWG 7.18

$4.66 MX$81.6

-13.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 AWG 3.35

$1.62 MX$28.37

15.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 AWG 5.34

$2.71 MX$47.36

9.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.83 AWG 5.06

$1.88 MX$32.89

50.53%

Eggs

$5.22 AWG 9.35

$2.51 MX$43.90

107.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.70 AWG 22.73

$10.08 MX$176

25.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 AWG 16.93

$8.29 MX$145

14.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 AWG 21.53

$11.94 MX$209

0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 AWG 8.50

$2.86 MX$50.1

66.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 AWG 4.13

$1.75 MX$30.62

32.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 AWG 9.22

$2.08 MX$36.48

147.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 AWG 6.21

$1.97 MX$34.46

76.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 AWG 4.00

$2.16 MX$37.79

3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 AWG 3.47

$2.18 MX$38.16

-11.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 AWG 4.62

$1.39 MX$24.34

85.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 AWG 2.75

$1.12 MX$19.69

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 AWG 17.98

$4.20 MX$73.5

139.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.22 AWG 18.30

$14.25 MX$249

-28.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 AWG 6.92

$1.76 MX$30.85

119.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 AWG 7.69

$3.68 MX$64.5

16.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 AWG 3.98

$0.39 MX$6.74

469.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.45 AWG 54.5

$18.66 MX$327

63.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.12 AWG 30.64

$1.39 MX$24.26

1131.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.00 AWG 7.16

$0.30 MX$5.32

1233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.65 AWG 44.13

$5.42 MX$94.9

354.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 AWG 2.63

$1.35 MX$23.63

8.89%

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

$26.5K AWG 47.5K

$18.9K MX$330.5K

40.54%

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

$35.0K AWG 62.6K

$23.2K MX$405.2K

51.00%

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

$257 AWG 460

$40.82 MX$714

528.88%

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

$49.05 AWG 87.8

$27.50 MX$481

78.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 AWG 187

$30.38 MX$532

244.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 AWG 192

$53.4 MX$935

100.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.58 AWG 45.79

$26.30 MX$460

-2.74%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 AWG 21.67

$6.27 MX$110

93.14%

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

$246 AWG 440

$436 MX$7,632

-43.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,715 AWG 15.6K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-16.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 AWG 105

$56.8 MX$993

3.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 AWG 89.5

$44.79 MX$784

11.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 AWG 193

$103 MX$1,799

5.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 AWG 184

$108 MX$1,888

-4.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 AWG 1,220

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-31.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 AWG 1,021

$620 MX$10.9K

-8.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 AWG 2,636

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-31.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 AWG 2,428

$1,235 MX$21.6K

9.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,268 AWG 4,059

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-41.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 AWG 3,092

$2,332 MX$40.8K

-25.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,692 AWG 3,029

$1,067 MX$18.7K

58.53%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Oranjestad and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 59% 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: $82.0 in Oranjestad vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $286 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 34% in total monthly costs ($1,989 vs $1,484 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Oranjestad pays 59% 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: $682 in Oranjestad versus $1,000 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 63% 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 $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,989 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 34% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.