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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $813 in Tena versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,184 in Tena versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,556 in Tena versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Tena costs roughly 44% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tena is 39% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 $3.07

$13.07 MX$229

-76.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.93 $17.93

$53.8 MX$943

-66.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 $5.35

$9.68 MX$170

-44.73%

Cappuccino

$2.29 $2.29

$3.74 MX$65.6

-38.77%

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

$1.06 $1.06

$1.62 MX$28.34

-34.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.16 MX$20.37

-38.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 $1.49

$3.23 MX$56.6

-53.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$4.74 MX$83.1

-46.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.65 MX$28.89

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.75 MX$48.30

-62.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.87 MX$32.87

-32.09%

Eggs

$1.75 $1.75

$2.50 MX$43.86

-30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$10.20 MX$179

-74.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$8.25 MX$145

-62.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$11.82 MX$207

-70.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$3.01 MX$52.8

-31.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.81 MX$31.77

-35.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.00 MX$35.07

-49.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$2.00 MX$35.00

-33.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$2.08 MX$36.56

-36.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.27 MX$39.85

-57.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.46 MX$25.55

-64.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.08 MX$18.88

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 $3.47

$4.35 MX$76.3

-20.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.92 $4.92

$16.99 MX$298

-71.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.73 MX$30.40

-12.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$3.58 MX$62.7

-57.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 $0.39

$0.39 MX$6.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.30 $24.30

$18.69 MX$328

30.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.33 MX$23.25

-8.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.28 MX$4.91

267.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.25 MX$92.1

-5.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 $0.67

$1.34 MX$23.44

-50.00%

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

$20.4K $20.4K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

5.02%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

6.67%

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

$25.49 $25.49

$40.69 MX$714

-37.36%

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

$14.38 $14.38

$26.87 MX$471

-46.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.21 $15.21

$30.51 MX$535

-50.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.91 $29.91

$52.8 MX$926

-43.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.57 $14.57

$26.65 MX$467

-45.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.17 $7.17

$6.51 MX$114

10.14%

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

$276 $276

$428 MX$7,508

-35.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,481 $8,481

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-19.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 $57.7

$57.3 MX$1,004

0.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.08 $44.08

$45.50 MX$798

-3.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 $99.5

$104 MX$1,825

-4.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 $84.3

$108 MX$1,891

-21.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 $340

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-66.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 $314

$623 MX$10.9K

-49.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 $620

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-70.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 $491

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-59.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,313 $1,313

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-66.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$719 $719

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-64.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

11.34

-1.32%

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

Last update for Tena: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $340 in Tena and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Tena vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $135 vs $292 per month, with Tena 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

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

Tena and Mexico City differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($813 vs $1,456 including rent). Tena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,219 in Tena and $2,185 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: $340 in Tena versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tena runs roughly 30% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $276 in Tena versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $813 in Tena versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tena but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tena 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, Tena 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 Tena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.