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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Roman versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Roman versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Roman versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Roman costs roughly 31% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Roman is 26% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.39 RON 56.1

$12.98 MX$223

-4.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.00 RON 127

$52.6 MX$903

-46.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 RON 35.48

$9.43 MX$162

-16.86%

Cappuccino

$3.36 RON 15.21

$3.57 MX$61.3

-5.88%

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

$1.12 RON 5.07

$1.61 MX$27.55

-30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 RON 9.44

$1.15 MX$19.81

81.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 RON 14.26

$3.15 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 RON 10.63

$4.86 MX$83.4

-51.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 RON 6.71

$1.70 MX$29.17

-12.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 RON 4.29

$2.64 MX$45.23

-64.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.44

$1.90 MX$32.67

-13.68%

Eggs

$3.02 RON 13.68

$2.54 MX$43.62

18.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 RON 39.42

$10.08 MX$173

-13.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 RON 30.86

$8.29 MX$142

-17.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.29 RON 51.1

$11.57 MX$199

-2.42%

Apples (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.32

$3.03 MX$52.0

-68.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.69

$1.71 MX$29.35

-13.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.70

$2.05 MX$35.16

-27.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 RON 10.06

$2.06 MX$35.36

7.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.49

$2.06 MX$35.43

-62.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.65

$2.17 MX$37.25

-52.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.21

$1.40 MX$24.08

-33.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.82

$1.12 MX$19.26

-24.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 RON 25.95

$4.29 MX$73.7

33.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.66 RON 30.12

$15.41 MX$265

-56.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.18

$1.67 MX$28.74

-31.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.43

$3.69 MX$63.3

-55.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$0.38 MX$6.55

89.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.68 RON 89.0

$19.06 MX$327

3.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.24

$1.38 MX$23.70

-47.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 RON 2.97

$0.28 MX$4.74

135.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 RON 30.48

$5.42 MX$92.9

24.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.58

$1.28 MX$21.98

31.25%

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

$28.3K RON 128.1K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

49.25%

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

$28.0K RON 126.4K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

19.15%

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

$90.6 RON 410

$41.02 MX$704

120.89%

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

$3.47 RON 15.70

$26.92 MX$462

-87.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.69 RON 25.76

$29.69 MX$510

-80.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.72 RON 189

$52.3 MX$898

-20.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 RON 85.9

$26.23 MX$450

-27.60%

Cinema Ticket

$10.76 RON 48.66

$6.18 MX$106

74.11%

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

$328 RON 1,482

$427 MX$7,331

-23.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,627 RON 30.0K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-38.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 RON 305

$56.8 MX$975

18.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.09 RON 77.3

$44.83 MX$769

-61.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 RON 437

$105 MX$1,794

-7.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.85 RON 158

$106 MX$1,819

-67.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,749

$995 MX$17.1K

-61.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RON 1,293

$621 MX$10.7K

-53.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 RON 2,608

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-72.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 1,993

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-64.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,070 RON 9,365

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-46.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,266 RON 5,725

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-39.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$854 RON 3,863

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-22.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

11.34

-32.10%

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

Last update for Roman: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Roman and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 30% 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: $28.00 in Roman vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $288 per month, with Roman 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

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

Roman and Mexico City differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($996 vs $1,447 including rent). Roman is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 30% less. 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: $387 in Roman 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 Roman runs roughly 3% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $328 in Roman versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $996 in Roman versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Roman but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Roman 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 Roman gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.