🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,357 in Terni versus $1,660 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Terni versus $2,565 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,732 in Terni versus $3,470 in Mexico City.
🌍Living in Terni costs roughly 18% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Terni is 1% below, Mexico City is 21% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Terni
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.10€14.91
$11.92MX$206
43.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.4€61.4
$51.6MX$890
36.43%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.88€12.10
$11.41MX$197
21.65%
Cappuccino
$1.65€1.44
$3.99MX$68.9
-58.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74€2.39
$1.66MX$28.61
65.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04€0.91
$1.33MX$22.87
-21.80%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.52€3.94
$3.47MX$59.9
30.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.86€5.11
$5.90MX$102
-0.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Terni
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.24€1.08
$1.88MX$32.36
-34.04%
White Bread(500g)
$1.74€1.52
$3.25MX$56.1
-46.46%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.34€2.04
$2.16MX$37.26
8.33%
Eggs
$3.31€2.88
$2.90MX$49.94
14.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.81€12.04
$12.86MX$222
7.39%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.04€7.88
$10.05MX$173
-10.05%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.74€11.98
$15.86MX$273
-13.37%
Apples(1kg)
$1.19€1.04
$3.29MX$56.8
-63.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.18€1.03
$2.01MX$34.60
-41.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.17€1.02
$2.20MX$37.93
-46.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.29€1.99
$2.36MX$40.63
-2.97%
Potato(1kg)
$0.85€0.74
$2.05MX$35.43
-58.54%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51€1.32
$1.90MX$32.79
-20.53%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.78€0.68
$1.61MX$27.68
-51.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.33€0.29
$1.40MX$24.09
-76.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.97€6.08
$5.46MX$94.2
27.66%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.64€4.91
$17.65MX$304
-68.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18€1.03
$2.06MX$35.44
-42.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49€1.30
$4.68MX$80.8
-68.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Terni
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.58€1.38
$0.34MX$5.84
364.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.77€30.31
$20.81MX$359
67.08%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.42€4.72
$2.10MX$36.15
158.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.53€1.33
$0.56MX$9.64
173.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$25.34€22.09
$5.81MX$100
336.14%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.00€1.74
$1.61MX$27.68
24.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K€30.4K
$22.8KMX$393.8K
52.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.0K€31.4K
$26.8KMX$461.2K
34.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Terni
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$154€134
$65.2MX$1,124
135.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.22€7.16
$30.09MX$519
-72.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.14€28.02
$37.18MX$641
-13.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Terni
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.0€49.72
$59.8MX$1,030
-4.57%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.51€10.03
$26.55MX$458
-56.65%
Cinema Ticket
$10.74€9.36
$7.04MX$121
52.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Terni
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$348€303
$465MX$8,012
-25.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.5K€10.9K
$13.3KMX$228.9K
-6.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Terni
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.0€76.7
$75.9MX$1,308
16.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.98€27.87
$56.0MX$965
-42.84%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$97.8€85.3
$112MX$1,929
-12.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6€69.4
$121MX$2,078
-33.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Terni
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$353€307
$1,103MX$19.0K
-68.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$383€334
$721MX$12.4K
-46.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$673€587
$2,530MX$43.6K
-73.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$545€475
$1,293MX$22.3K
-57.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,403€1,223
$3,991MX$68.8K
-64.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$803€700
$2,090MX$36.0K
-61.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Terni
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,545€1,347
$1,037MX$17.9K
48.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.04
11.3
-73.10%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Terni: September 13, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Terni and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Terni pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $70.0 in Terni vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $345, with Terni cheaper for home cooking.
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
Terni vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Terni and in Mexico City?
Terni and Mexico City differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,357 vs $1,660 including rent). Terni is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Terni or Mexico City?
Average pay runs 49% higher in Terni, 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 Terni and in Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $353 in Terni versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Terni and in Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Terni runs roughly 67% 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 Terni and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $348 in Terni versus $465 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 $1,000 per month?
At $1,357 in Terni versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Terni but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Terni the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Terni 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.
Where should expats move: Terni or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Terni gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.