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: $1,960 in Oranjestad versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,168 in Oranjestad versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,376 in Oranjestad versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oranjestad 46% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.09 AWG 34.16

$12.98 MX$223

47.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 AWG 145

$52.6 MX$903

53.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 AWG 18.09

$9.43 MX$162

7.21%

Cappuccino

$3.74 AWG 6.69

$3.57 MX$61.3

4.76%

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

$1.43 AWG 2.55

$1.61 MX$27.55

-11.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 AWG 2.85

$1.15 MX$19.81

38.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 AWG 5.25

$3.15 MX$54.0

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 AWG 7.20

$4.86 MX$83.4

-17.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 AWG 3.31

$1.70 MX$29.17

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 AWG 5.25

$2.64 MX$45.23

10.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 AWG 5.08

$1.90 MX$32.67

49.47%

Eggs

$5.36 AWG 9.60

$2.54 MX$43.62

111.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.47 AWG 22.31

$10.08 MX$173

23.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 AWG 16.42

$8.29 MX$142

10.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 AWG 21.98

$11.57 MX$199

6.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 AWG 8.35

$3.03 MX$52.0

53.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 AWG 4.00

$1.71 MX$29.35

30.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 AWG 8.75

$2.05 MX$35.16

138.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 AWG 6.10

$2.06 MX$35.36

65.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 AWG 4.09

$2.06 MX$35.43

10.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 AWG 3.49

$2.17 MX$37.25

-10.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 AWG 4.73

$1.40 MX$24.08

88.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 AWG 2.74

$1.12 MX$19.26

36.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.82 AWG 17.58

$4.29 MX$73.7

128.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.80 AWG 17.55

$15.41 MX$265

-36.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 AWG 7.23

$1.67 MX$28.74

141.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 AWG 8.01

$3.69 MX$63.3

21.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 AWG 3.96

$0.38 MX$6.55

481.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.90 AWG 53.5

$19.06 MX$327

56.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 AWG 30.58

$1.38 MX$23.70

1138.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 AWG 6.82

$0.28 MX$4.74

1260.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.91 AWG 44.59

$5.42 MX$92.9

359.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 AWG 2.74

$1.28 MX$21.98

19.53%

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

$26.2K AWG 46.8K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

37.80%

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

$35.9K AWG 64.3K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

53.20%

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

$249 AWG 446

$41.02 MX$704

507.14%

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

$48.19 AWG 86.2

$26.92 MX$462

79.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 AWG 187

$29.69 MX$510

252.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 AWG 193

$52.3 MX$898

105.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.44 AWG 45.52

$26.23 MX$450

-3.01%

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 AWG 21.76

$6.18 MX$106

96.76%

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

$246 AWG 440

$427 MX$7,331

-42.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,439 AWG 15.1K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-21.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 AWG 108

$56.8 MX$975

5.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 AWG 90.6

$44.83 MX$769

12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 AWG 198

$105 MX$1,794

6.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 AWG 182

$106 MX$1,819

-4.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 AWG 1,227

$995 MX$17.1K

-31.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 AWG 1,005

$621 MX$10.7K

-9.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 AWG 2,610

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-31.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 AWG 2,422

$1,254 MX$21.5K

7.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,256 AWG 4,037

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-42.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,704 AWG 3,049

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-18.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,749 AWG 3,131

$1,107 MX$19.0K

57.97%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $686 in Oranjestad and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 58% 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: $81.0 in Oranjestad vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $288 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 ($1,960 vs $1,447 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Oranjestad pays 58% 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: $686 in Oranjestad versus $995 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 57% 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 $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,960 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.