Cost of Living Comparison Between TamΓ‘si and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between TamΓ‘si and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,025 in TamΓ‘si versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,585 in TamΓ‘si versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,145 in TamΓ‘si versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in TamΓ‘si costs roughly 29% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: TamΓ‘si is 24% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
TamΓ‘si
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.67 FtΒ 2,365
$12.98 MX$227
-40.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.89 FtΒ 14.2K
$52.6 MX$918
-12.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.63 FtΒ 1,736
$9.43 MX$165
-40.30%
Cappuccino
$2.06 FtΒ 636
$3.57 MX$62.3
-42.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 FtΒ 460
$1.61 MX$28.02
-7.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 FtΒ 428
$1.15 MX$20.14
20.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.27 FtΒ 700
$3.15 MX$55.0
-27.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 FtΒ 653
$4.86 MX$84.8
-56.38%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
TamΓ‘si
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 FtΒ 324
$1.70 MX$29.66
-38.24%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 FtΒ 494
$2.64 MX$45.99
-39.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 FtΒ 364
$1.90 MX$33.22
-37.89%
Eggs
$2.04 FtΒ 628
$2.54 MX$44.35
-19.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.70 FtΒ 2,375
$10.08 MX$176
-23.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 FtΒ 1,744
$8.29 MX$145
-31.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.26 FtΒ 3,473
$11.57 MX$202
-2.68%
Apples (1kg)
$1.37 FtΒ 422
$3.03 MX$52.8
-54.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 FtΒ 434
$1.71 MX$29.85
-17.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 FtΒ 538
$2.05 MX$35.76
-14.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.77 FtΒ 855
$2.06 MX$35.95
34.47%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 FtΒ 296
$2.06 MX$36.03
-53.40%
Onion (1kg)
$1.19 FtΒ 366
$2.17 MX$37.87
-45.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 FtΒ 441
$1.40 MX$24.49
2.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 FtΒ 148
$1.12 MX$19.58
-57.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.36 FtΒ 1,962
$4.29 MX$74.9
48.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.16 FtΒ 1,284
$15.41 MX$269
-73.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 FtΒ 285
$1.67 MX$29.23
-44.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 FtΒ 450
$3.69 MX$64.3
-60.43%
🚌 Getting Around
TamΓ‘si
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 FtΒ 364
$0.38 MX$6.66
210.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.37 FtΒ 7,823
$19.06 MX$333
33.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.88 FtΒ 887
$1.38 MX$24.10
108.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.29 FtΒ 398
$0.28 MX$4.82
360.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.46 FtΒ 5,385
$5.42 MX$94.5
222.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.68 FtΒ 519
$1.28 MX$22.35
31.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K FtΒ 8.1M
$19.0K MX$331.3K
38.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K FtΒ 7.8M
$23.5K MX$409.5K
7.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
TamΓ‘si
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$105 FtΒ 32.3K
$41.02 MX$716
155.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.87 FtΒ 7,669
$26.92 MX$470
-7.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.41 FtΒ 4,136
$29.69 MX$518
-54.83%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
TamΓ‘si
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.78 FtΒ 14.4K
$52.3 MX$913
-10.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.60 FtΒ 5,119
$26.23 MX$458
-36.71%
Cinema Ticket
$6.98 FtΒ 2,151
$6.18 MX$108
12.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
TamΓ‘si
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$223 FtΒ 68.7K
$427 MX$7,454
-47.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,210 FtΒ 1.9M
$10.7K MX$186.7K
-41.95%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
TamΓ‘si
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.9 FtΒ 25.6K
$56.8 MX$992
45.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.76 FtΒ 9,177
$44.83 MX$782
-33.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.5 FtΒ 21.4K
$105 MX$1,824
-33.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.1 FtΒ 17.9K
$106 MX$1,849
-45.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
TamΓ‘si
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$451 FtΒ 139.0K
$995 MX$17.4K
-54.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$339 FtΒ 104.6K
$621 MX$10.8K
-45.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$633 FtΒ 195.3K
$2,126 MX$37.1K
-70.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$539 FtΒ 166.3K
$1,254 MX$21.9K
-56.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,333 FtΒ 1.0M
$3,903 MX$68.1K
-14.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,104 FtΒ 648.9K
$2,096 MX$36.6K
0.42%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
TamΓ‘si
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,251 FtΒ 385.6K
$1,107 MX$19.3K
12.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.85
11.34
-48.41%

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

Last update for TamΓ‘si: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $451 in TamΓ‘si and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

TamΓ‘si pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in TamΓ‘si vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $288 per month, with TamΓ‘si 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
TamΓ‘si vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in TamΓ‘si and Mexico City?
TamΓ‘si and Mexico City differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,025 vs $1,447 including rent). TamΓ‘si is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: TamΓ‘si or Mexico City?
TamΓ‘si pays 13% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in TamΓ‘si and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $451 in TamΓ‘si versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in TamΓ‘si and Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in TamΓ‘si runs roughly 33% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between TamΓ‘si and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $223 in TamΓ‘si versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,025 in TamΓ‘si versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in TamΓ‘si but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes TamΓ‘si the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between TamΓ‘si and Mexico City?
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.
Is TamΓ‘si or Mexico City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, TamΓ‘si 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.
Where should expats move: TamΓ‘si or Mexico City?
Expats usually find TamΓ‘si gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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