Cost of Living Comparison Between Perez Zeledon and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Perez Zeledon and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,165 in Perez Zeledon versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,898 in Perez Zeledon versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,631 in Perez Zeledon versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Perez Zeledon costs roughly 19% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Perez Zeledon is 13% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 ₡3,060

$12.98 MX$223

-47.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.63 ₡17.9K

$52.6 MX$903

-24.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 ₡4,569

$9.43 MX$162

7.21%

Cappuccino

$3.81 ₡1,720

$3.57 MX$61.3

6.72%

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

$1.51 ₡684

$1.61 MX$27.55

-6.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₡725

$1.15 MX$19.81

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 ₡1,334

$3.15 MX$54.0

-6.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 ₡2,093

$4.86 MX$83.4

-4.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ₡888

$1.70 MX$29.17

15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 ₡1,310

$2.64 MX$45.23

9.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡999

$1.90 MX$32.67

16.32%

Eggs

$2.54 ₡1,147

$2.54 MX$43.62

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 ₡3,708

$10.08 MX$173

-18.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 ₡4,144

$8.29 MX$142

10.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 ₡6,249

$11.57 MX$199

19.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 ₡2,010

$3.03 MX$52.0

46.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 ₡442

$1.71 MX$29.35

-42.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 ₡1,920

$2.05 MX$35.16

107.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 ₡1,609

$2.06 MX$35.36

72.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 ₡1,289

$2.06 MX$35.43

38.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 ₡1,239

$2.17 MX$37.25

26.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 ₡186

$1.40 MX$24.08

-70.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,268

$1.12 MX$19.26

150.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,315

$4.29 MX$73.7

19.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.29 ₡9,617

$15.41 MX$265

38.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₡992

$1.67 MX$28.74

31.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₡715

$3.69 MX$63.3

-57.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 ₡336

$0.38 MX$6.55

94.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡813

$1.38 MX$23.70

30.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡832

$0.28 MX$4.74

557.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 ₡3,482

$5.42 MX$92.9

42.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₡632

$1.28 MX$21.98

9.37%

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

$37.7K ₡17.0M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

98.51%

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

$32.3K ₡14.6M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

37.55%

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

$93.8 ₡42.4K

$41.02 MX$704

128.69%

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

$21.74 ₡9,821

$26.92 MX$462

-19.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 ₡27.0K

$29.69 MX$510

101.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.06 ₡13.6K

$52.3 MX$898

-42.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.04 ₡10.9K

$26.23 MX$450

-8.35%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 ₡4,363

$6.18 MX$106

56.31%

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

$509 ₡230.2K

$427 MX$7,331

19.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ₡5.6M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

16.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 ₡28.6K

$56.8 MX$975

11.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 ₡23.4K

$44.83 MX$769

15.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.5K

$105 MX$1,794

19.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.3K

$106 MX$1,819

0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 ₡150.8K

$995 MX$17.1K

-66.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₡121.5K

$621 MX$10.7K

-56.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,515 ₡684.6K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-28.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ₡286.2K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-49.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-20.63%

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

Last update for Perez Zeledon: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $334 in Perez Zeledon and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Perez Zeledon vs $53.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $288, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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

Perez Zeledon vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perez Zeledon and Mexico City differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,165 vs $1,447 including rent). Perez Zeledon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,748 in Perez Zeledon and $2,171 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $334 in Perez Zeledon versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $509 in Perez Zeledon versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Perez Zeledon – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,165 in Perez Zeledon versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Perez Zeledon but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Perez Zeledon 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.

Expats usually find Perez Zeledon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.