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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $354 in Tacna versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $465 in Tacna versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $576 in Tacna versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Tacna costs roughly 76% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tacna is 74% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.99 PEN 6.75

$12.98 MX$223

-84.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

Cappuccino

$2.51 PEN 8.54

$3.57 MX$61.3

-29.69%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$1.15 MX$19.81

-76.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 PEN 2.95

$1.70 MX$29.17

-48.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 PEN 4.59

$2.64 MX$45.23

-48.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 PEN 2.97

$1.90 MX$32.67

-54.21%

Eggs

$1.42 PEN 4.82

$2.54 MX$43.62

-44.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.27 PEN 14.51

$10.08 MX$173

-57.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 PEN 12.38

$8.29 MX$142

-56.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.49 PEN 28.87

$11.57 MX$199

-26.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.94

$2.06 MX$35.43

-72.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.36

$2.17 MX$37.25

-81.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$1.40 MX$24.08

-80.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.41

$1.12 MX$19.26

-36.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 PEN 14.52

$4.29 MX$73.7

-0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.29 PEN 21.37

$15.41 MX$265

-59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 PEN 8.55

$1.67 MX$28.74

50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.38 MX$6.55

-23.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 PEN 4.81

$1.38 MX$23.70

2.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

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

$41.02 MX$704

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

$19.20 PEN 65.3

$26.92 MX$462

-28.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.89 PEN 84.6

$29.69 MX$510

-16.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.24 PEN 96.0

$52.3 MX$898

-46.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$2.53 PEN 8.59

$6.18 MX$106

-59.06%

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

$55.7 PEN 189

$427 MX$7,331

-86.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.54 PEN 66.4

$56.8 MX$975

-65.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.17 PEN 65.2

$44.83 MX$769

-57.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.10 PEN 85.4

$106 MX$1,819

-76.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.4 PEN 222

$621 MX$10.7K

-89.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

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)

$466 PEN 1,586

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-57.88%

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 Tacna: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 137% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

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

Tacna and Mexico City differ by about 309% in total monthly costs ($354 vs $1,447 including rent). Tacna is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 137% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $55.7 in Tacna versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $354 per month in Tacna versus $1,447 in Mexico City – a 309% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $354 in Tacna versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tacna but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tacna 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, Tacna 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 Tacna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 309% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.