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: $804 in Tena versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,205 in Tena versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,606 in Tena versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Tena costs roughly 45% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tena is 40% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.06 $3.06

$13.18 MX$228

-76.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.75 $17.75

$53.9 MX$932

-67.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 $5.45

$9.42 MX$163

-42.14%

Cappuccino

$2.23 $2.23

$3.55 MX$61.4

-37.18%

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

$1.12 $1.12

$1.62 MX$27.98

-30.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.11 MX$19.27

-36.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 $1.52

$3.12 MX$54.0

-51.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$4.63 MX$80.1

-45.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.70 MX$29.43

-35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.72 MX$47.02

-62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.91 MX$33.07

-33.51%

Eggs

$1.82 $1.82

$2.54 MX$43.86

-28.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$10.03 MX$174

-75.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$8.09 MX$140

-63.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$11.62 MX$201

-70.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.97 MX$51.3

-31.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.81 MX$31.24

-32.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$2.01 MX$34.82

-46.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.03 MX$35.20

-36.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$2.12 MX$36.75

-37.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.27 MX$39.25

-55.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.40 MX$24.22

-65.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.13 MX$19.55

-9.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 $3.47

$4.27 MX$73.9

-18.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 $4.93

$15.56 MX$269

-68.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.76 MX$30.39

-13.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$3.60 MX$62.2

-58.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 $0.38

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.16 $24.16

$19.18 MX$332

25.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.38 MX$23.79

-7.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.28 MX$4.78

257.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 $4.92

$5.45 MX$94.2

-9.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 $0.67

$1.30 MX$22.55

-48.46%

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

$20.3K $20.3K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

8.82%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

8.21%

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

$24.96 $24.96

$40.86 MX$707

-38.91%

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

$14.40 $14.40

$26.81 MX$464

-46.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.94 $14.94

$29.96 MX$518

-50.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.08 $30.08

$52.0 MX$900

-42.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.57 $14.57

$26.84 MX$464

-45.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.18 $7.18

$6.30 MX$109

13.97%

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

$276 $276

$436 MX$7,544

-36.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,515 $8,515

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-18.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 $58.0

$56.7 MX$980

2.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.38 $43.38

$44.38 MX$768

-2.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 $99.2

$103 MX$1,780

-3.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 $86.0

$106 MX$1,825

-18.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 $343

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-66.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 $321

$631 MX$10.9K

-49.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$625 $625

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-70.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 $495

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-60.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,156 $1,156

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-70.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$678 $678

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-67.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $343 in Tena and $1,022 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 $288 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 82% in total monthly costs ($804 vs $1,467 including rent). Tena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,207 in Tena and $2,201 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: $343 in Tena versus $1,022 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 26% 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 $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $804 in Tena versus $1,467 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 82% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.