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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $683 in Pisco versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,046 in Pisco versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,409 in Pisco versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Pisco costs roughly 59% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pisco is 50% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 PEN 14.85

$11.92 MX$205

-63.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.60 PEN 120

$51.6 MX$889

-31.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.93 PEN 23.38

$11.41 MX$197

-39.26%

Cappuccino

$3.42 PEN 11.53

$3.99 MX$68.8

-14.29%

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

$1.13 PEN 3.82

$1.66 MX$28.57

-31.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.10

$1.33 MX$22.84

-53.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 PEN 8.78

$3.47 MX$59.8

-25.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 PEN 14.86

$5.90 MX$102

-25.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 PEN 5.49

$1.88 MX$32.31

-13.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 PEN 7.87

$3.25 MX$56.0

-28.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 PEN 4.18

$2.16 MX$37.21

-42.59%

Eggs

$1.32 PEN 4.45

$2.90 MX$49.87

-54.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 PEN 22.01

$12.86 MX$221

-49.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 PEN 16.18

$10.05 MX$173

-52.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 PEN 22.15

$15.86 MX$273

-58.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.56

$3.29 MX$56.7

-58.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 PEN 3.43

$2.01 MX$34.55

-49.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 4.93

$2.20 MX$37.88

-33.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$2.36 MX$40.57

-75.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.46

$2.05 MX$35.38

-79.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 PEN 2.99

$1.90 MX$32.75

-53.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 PEN 2.89

$1.61 MX$27.64

-46.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PEN 3.15

$1.40 MX$24.05

-33.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 PEN 20.30

$5.46 MX$94.1

10.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 PEN 30.18

$17.65 MX$304

-49.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 PEN 6.62

$2.06 MX$35.39

-4.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 PEN 8.34

$4.68 MX$80.7

-47.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 PEN 2.91

$0.34 MX$5.83

152.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.37 PEN 123

$20.81 MX$358

74.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 PEN 13.47

$2.10 MX$36.11

90.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.16

$0.56 MX$9.63

278.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 PEN 24.41

$5.81 MX$100

24.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 PEN 5.81

$1.61 MX$27.65

6.83%

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

$21.8K PEN 73.4K

$22.8K MX$393.3K

-4.70%

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

$26.7K PEN 90.2K

$26.8K MX$460.6K

-0.01%

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

$43.76 PEN 148

$65.2 MX$1,122

-32.86%

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

$17.39 PEN 58.7

$30.09 MX$518

-42.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.74 PEN 39.62

$37.18 MX$640

-68.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.17 PEN 71.4

$59.8 MX$1,029

-64.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.70 PEN 29.34

$26.55 MX$457

-67.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 PEN 25.47

$7.04 MX$121

7.24%

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

$183 PEN 619

$465 MX$8,001

-60.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K PEN 44.4K

$13.3K MX$228.6K

-0.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 PEN 180

$75.9 MX$1,307

-29.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.38 PEN 45.14

$56.0 MX$963

-76.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.28 PEN 163

$112 MX$1,926

-56.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.84 PEN 121

$121 MX$2,075

-70.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 PEN 548

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-85.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 PEN 460

$721 MX$12.4K

-81.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 PEN 493

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-88.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,846 PEN 6,227

$3,991 MX$68.7K

-53.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,358 PEN 4,582

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-35.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 PEN 1,980

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-43.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

11.3

-20.88%

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

Last update for Pisco: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $162 in Pisco and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 77% 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: $36.00 in Pisco vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $345 per month, with Pisco 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

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

Pisco and Mexico City differ by about 143% in total monthly costs ($683 vs $1,660 including rent). Pisco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 77% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $162 in Pisco versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pisco runs roughly 75% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $183 in Pisco versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $683 in Pisco versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pisco but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pisco 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 Pisco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 143% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.