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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,645 in Tumon versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,677 in Tumon versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,710 in Tumon versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Tumon costs roughly 2% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tumon 19% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.42 $25.42

$12.14 MX$205

109.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 $51.3

$53.9 MX$911

-4.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.10 $13.10

$11.09 MX$187

18.12%

Cappuccino

$6.05 $6.05

$4.10 MX$69.3

47.56%

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

$3.03 $3.03

$1.68 MX$28.44

80.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.39 MX$23.47

115.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 $7.02

$3.33 MX$56.3

110.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.88 MX$99.4

50.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.30

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.6

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.01

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.51

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$213

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$272

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.3

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.14

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.85

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.82

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.00

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$33.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.08

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.5

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$300

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.79 $6.79

$0.37 MX$6.19

1735.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.73

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.58 MX$9.75

239.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

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

$22.9K MX$386.8K

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$27.2K MX$460.5K

5.99%

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

$67.4 MX$1,140

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

$30.62 MX$518

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$630

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,039

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$459

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$120

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

$456 MX$7,714

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$231.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,255

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$964

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,951

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,055

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 $2,493

$1,148 MX$19.4K

117.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 $1,203

$709 MX$12.0K

69.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,268 $3,268

$2,577 MX$43.6K

26.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,607 $2,607

$1,295 MX$21.9K

101.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Tumon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,493 in Tumon and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $51.0 in Tumon vs $54.0 in Mexico City for two.

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

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

Tumon and Mexico City differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,645 vs $1,677 including rent). Tumon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,468 in Tumon and $2,515 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: $2,493 in Tumon versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tumon – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,645 per month in Tumon versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,645 in Tumon versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Tumon but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tumon 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, Tumon 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 Tumon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.