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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $784 in Trujillo versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,170 in Trujillo versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,557 in Trujillo versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Trujillo costs roughly 47% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Trujillo is 41% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.21 PEN 10.91

$13.18 MX$228

-75.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.85 PEN 47.14

$53.9 MX$932

-74.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 PEN 22.96

$9.42 MX$163

-28.34%

Cappuccino

$2.88 PEN 9.81

$3.55 MX$61.4

-18.87%

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

$0.89 PEN 3.04

$1.62 MX$27.98

-45.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 PEN 1.95

$1.11 MX$19.27

-48.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PEN 6.77

$3.12 MX$54.0

-36.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 PEN 11.37

$4.63 MX$80.1

-27.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 PEN 3.42

$1.70 MX$29.43

-40.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 PEN 6.24

$2.72 MX$47.02

-32.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.88

$1.91 MX$33.07

-40.31%

Eggs

$3.85 PEN 13.11

$2.54 MX$43.86

51.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 PEN 22.22

$8.09 MX$140

-19.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 PEN 25.94

$11.62 MX$201

-34.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.85

$2.97 MX$51.3

-61.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$1.81 MX$31.24

-67.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$2.01 MX$34.82

-71.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 PEN 2.58

$2.03 MX$35.20

-62.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.18

$2.12 MX$36.75

-56.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.74

$2.27 MX$39.25

-64.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.03

$1.40 MX$24.22

-36.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.94

$1.13 MX$19.55

-23.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 PEN 13.77

$4.27 MX$73.9

-5.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 PEN 19.63

$15.56 MX$269

-62.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PEN 4.83

$1.76 MX$30.39

-19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.80

$3.60 MX$62.2

-52.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.38 MX$6.62

55.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.72 PEN 56.9

$19.18 MX$332

-12.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 PEN 9.35

$1.38 MX$23.79

99.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.97

$0.28 MX$4.78

632.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 PEN 18.79

$5.45 MX$94.2

1.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.62

$1.30 MX$22.55

4.62%

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

$16.9K PEN 57.7K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

-9.31%

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

$26.6K PEN 90.4K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

14.83%

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

$74.4 PEN 253

$40.86 MX$707

81.99%

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

$8.19 PEN 27.85

$26.81 MX$464

-69.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.99 PEN 71.4

$29.96 MX$518

-29.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 PEN 120

$52.0 MX$900

-31.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 PEN 19.21

$26.84 MX$464

-78.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 PEN 13.84

$6.30 MX$109

-35.40%

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

$106 PEN 360

$436 MX$7,544

-75.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,029 PEN 6,902

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-80.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 PEN 237

$56.7 MX$980

23.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.96 PEN 47.48

$44.38 MX$768

-68.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.78 PEN 115

$103 MX$1,780

-67.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.69 PEN 111

$106 MX$1,825

-69.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 PEN 1,246

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-64.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 PEN 865

$631 MX$10.9K

-59.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 PEN 2,047

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-71.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 PEN 1,624

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-61.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,138 PEN 3,872

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-70.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$834 PEN 2,837

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-59.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$539 PEN 1,834

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-51.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.7

11.34

11.99%

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

Last update for Trujillo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in Trujillo and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 107% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Trujillo vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $160 vs $288 per month, with Trujillo 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

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

Trujillo and Mexico City differ by about 87% in total monthly costs ($784 vs $1,467 including rent). Trujillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 107% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $366 in Trujillo 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 Trujillo runs roughly 15% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $106 in Trujillo versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $784 in Trujillo versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Trujillo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Trujillo 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.

Expats usually find Trujillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.