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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $821 in Pago Pago versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Pago Pago versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,001 in Pago Pago versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Pago Pago costs roughly 44% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pago Pago is 39% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.98 $24.98

$13.30 MX$231

87.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$6.95 $6.95

$53.8 MX$932

-87.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

Cappuccino

$0.99 $0.99

$3.59 MX$62.3

-72.42%

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

$1.21 $1.21

$1.62 MX$28.13

-25.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.25 MX$56.3

-39.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$4.65 MX$80.6

-57.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.64 MX$28.37

58.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.65 MX$46.00

8.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.96 MX$33.99

125.51%

Eggs

$4.37 $4.37

$2.54 MX$44.08

72.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 $10.29

$9.97 MX$173

3.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 $11.26

$11.83 MX$205

-4.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.05

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.51

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.54

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.47 $11.47

$4.27 MX$73.9

168.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$14.67 MX$254

3.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.57 MX$61.8

-15.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.38 MX$6.67

410.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 $4.97

$1.39 MX$24.09

257.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.34 MX$23.22

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

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

$40.30 MX$698

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

$29.74 $29.74

$27.15 MX$471

9.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$29.46 MX$510

152.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.42 $49.42

$52.7 MX$914

-6.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.87 $9.87

$26.17 MX$454

-62.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 $9.02

$6.18 MX$107

45.95%

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

$441 MX$7,637

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$992

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$781

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$153 $153

$1,000 MX$17.3K

-84.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 $199

$632 MX$11.0K

-68.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 $913

$2,141 MX$37.1K

-57.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 $692

$1,253 MX$21.7K

-44.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.8K $17.8K

$3,745 MX$64.9K

375.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K $10.6K

$2,381 MX$41.3K

344.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,201 $1,201

$1,079 MX$18.7K

11.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Pago Pago: April 22, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $153 in Pago Pago and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pago Pago pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $7 in Pago Pago vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $286 per month, with Pago Pago 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

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

Pago Pago and Mexico City differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($821 vs $1,466 including rent). Pago Pago is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Pago Pago pays 11% 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: $153 in Pago Pago versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pago Pago – a meal for two runs $7.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $821 per month in Pago Pago versus $1,466 in Mexico City – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $821 in Pago Pago versus $1,466 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pago Pago but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pago Pago 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, Pago Pago 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 Pago Pago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.