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: $903 in Trujillo versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,357 in Trujillo versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,811 in Trujillo versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Trujillo is 34% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 PEN 12.21

$12.11 MX$205

-69.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 PEN 80.5

$52.2 MX$883

-54.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 PEN 24.51

$10.90 MX$184

-32.94%

Cappuccino

$3.32 PEN 11.15

$4.05 MX$68.5

-18.02%

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

$0.97 PEN 3.26

$1.72 MX$28.99

-43.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$1.38 MX$23.28

-55.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 PEN 6.83

$3.47 MX$58.6

-41.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 PEN 11.93

$5.81 MX$98.2

-38.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.74

$1.85 MX$31.32

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 PEN 7.12

$3.22 MX$54.5

-34.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.08

$2.09 MX$35.24

-41.63%

Eggs

$4.22 PEN 14.16

$2.91 MX$49.16

45.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 PEN 26.10

$12.49 MX$211

-37.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 PEN 22.97

$10.11 MX$171

-32.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 PEN 30.70

$15.89 MX$269

-42.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 PEN 5.51

$3.31 MX$56.0

-50.45%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.92

$2.13 MX$35.94

-73.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.93

$2.19 MX$37.02

-73.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.89

$2.45 MX$41.36

-64.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.14

$2.19 MX$36.99

-57.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.94

$1.90 MX$32.19

-37.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 PEN 4.21

$1.62 MX$27.30

-22.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 PEN 3.75

$1.35 MX$22.81

-17.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 PEN 15.10

$5.43 MX$91.7

-17.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.96 PEN 19.98

$17.59 MX$297

-66.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.87

$2.07 MX$34.95

-15.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 PEN 5.34

$4.75 MX$80.2

-66.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$0.34 MX$5.74

79.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.04 PEN 60.5

$21.58 MX$365

-16.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 PEN 8.72

$2.04 MX$34.48

27.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 PEN 7.39

$0.58 MX$9.77

279.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 PEN 19.62

$5.97 MX$101

-2.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 PEN 5.60

$1.62 MX$27.30

3.09%

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

$18.0K PEN 60.3K

$22.8K MX$385.5K

-21.19%

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

$28.6K PEN 95.8K

$26.7K MX$450.6K

7.11%

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

$100 PEN 336

$65.2 MX$1,102

53.48%

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

$13.55 PEN 45.44

$29.87 MX$505

-54.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.50 PEN 92.2

$36.55 MX$618

-24.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.19 PEN 138

$61.0 MX$1,031

-32.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.89 PEN 19.75

$26.70 MX$451

-77.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 PEN 14.84

$6.85 MX$116

-35.33%

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

$109 PEN 367

$453 MX$7,662

-75.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,172 PEN 7,283

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-83.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 PEN 246

$75.0 MX$1,267

-1.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.14 PEN 50.8

$55.3 MX$934

-72.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.31 PEN 159

$114 MX$1,920

-58.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.86 PEN 150

$123 MX$2,073

-63.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 PEN 1,341

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-64.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 PEN 862

$712 MX$12.0K

-63.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 PEN 2,574

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-70.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 PEN 1,752

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-60.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,183 PEN 3,967

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-70.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 PEN 1,796

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-48.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.7

11.3

3.54%

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

Last update for Trujillo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Trujillo and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 95% 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: $24.00 in Trujillo vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $345 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 82% in total monthly costs ($903 vs $1,646 including rent). Trujillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Mexico City. 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: $400 in Trujillo versus $1,134 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 20% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $109 in Trujillo versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $903 in Trujillo versus $1,646 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 82% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.