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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,099 in Tula versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,770 in Tula versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,442 in Tula versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Tula costs roughly 25% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tula is 18% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.74 ₽930

$13.18 MX$228

-3.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 ₽4,199

$53.9 MX$932

6.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 ₽473

$9.42 MX$163

-31.21%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ₽151

$3.55 MX$61.4

-41.69%

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

$1.38 ₽101

$1.62 MX$27.98

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₽45.19

$1.11 MX$19.27

-44.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ₽151

$3.12 MX$54.0

-33.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ₽224

$4.63 MX$80.1

-33.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ₽90.0

$1.70 MX$29.43

-27.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 ₽44.87

$2.72 MX$47.02

-77.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 ₽128

$1.91 MX$33.07

-8.38%

Eggs

$1.94 ₽142

$2.54 MX$43.86

-23.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.52 ₽914

$10.03 MX$174

24.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 ₽401

$8.09 MX$140

-32.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.47 ₽399

$11.62 MX$201

-52.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₽138

$2.97 MX$51.3

-36.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₽148

$1.81 MX$31.24

12.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 ₽136

$2.01 MX$34.82

-7.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 ₽204

$2.03 MX$35.20

37.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 ₽72.9

$2.12 MX$36.75

-52.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 ₽57.0

$2.27 MX$39.25

-65.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₽119

$1.40 MX$24.22

15.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₽54.9

$1.13 MX$19.55

-33.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 ₽182

$4.27 MX$73.9

-41.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.55 ₽624

$15.56 MX$269

-45.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽72.7

$1.76 MX$30.39

-43.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₽75.9

$3.60 MX$62.2

-71.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ₽32.20

$0.38 MX$6.62

15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.73 ₽1,294

$19.18 MX$332

-7.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 ₽98.2

$1.38 MX$23.79

-2.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₽23.68

$0.28 MX$4.78

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 ₽582

$5.45 MX$94.2

46.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 ₽57.1

$1.30 MX$22.55

-40.00%

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

$23.0K ₽1.7M

$18.7K MX$323.2K

23.00%

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

$30.3K ₽2.2M

$23.1K MX$400.1K

30.79%

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

$153 ₽11.1K

$40.86 MX$707

273.62%

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

$8.09 ₽591

$26.81 MX$464

-69.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.20 ₽598

$29.96 MX$518

-72.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.74 ₽1,222

$52.0 MX$900

-67.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.59 ₽1,430

$26.84 MX$464

-27.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 ₽460

$6.30 MX$109

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

$703 ₽51.3K

$436 MX$7,544

61.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ₽1.1M

$10.4K MX$180.2K

42.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 ₽6,404

$56.7 MX$980

54.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 ₽3,848

$44.38 MX$768

18.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ₽9,631

$103 MX$1,780

28.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 ₽11.8K

$106 MX$1,825

52.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₽28.3K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-62.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 ₽22.8K

$631 MX$10.9K

-50.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$689 ₽50.3K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-67.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ₽41.3K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-54.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,054 ₽149.9K

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-47.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,262 ₽92.1K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-38.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 ₽76.0K

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-6.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.86

11.34

31.04%

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

Last update for Tula: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Tula and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 7% 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: $58.0 in Tula vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $202 vs $288, with Tula cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Tula and Mexico City differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,099 vs $1,467 including rent). Tula is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 7% 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: $388 in Tula 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 Tula runs roughly 8% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $703 in Tula versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,099 in Tula versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tula but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tula 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, Tula 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 Tula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.