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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $608 in Varginha versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $971 in Varginha versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,334 in Varginha versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Varginha costs roughly 58% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Varginha is 55% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.23 R$31.52

$12.98 MX$223

-52.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.05 R$112

$52.6 MX$903

-58.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 R$31.34

$9.43 MX$162

-34.36%

Cappuccino

$0.86 R$4.35

$3.57 MX$61.3

-75.91%

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

$0.79 R$4.01

$1.61 MX$27.55

-50.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 R$2.68

$1.15 MX$19.81

-53.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 R$6.53

$3.15 MX$54.0

-59.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 R$15.95

$4.86 MX$83.4

-35.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.77

$1.70 MX$29.17

-32.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 R$7.23

$2.64 MX$45.23

-45.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.47

$1.90 MX$32.67

-53.68%

Eggs

$1.27 R$6.45

$2.54 MX$43.62

-50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.68 R$38.90

$10.08 MX$173

-23.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 R$18.73

$8.29 MX$142

-55.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.33 R$37.11

$11.57 MX$199

-36.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.21

$3.03 MX$52.0

-59.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.48

$1.71 MX$29.35

-25.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 R$4.63

$2.05 MX$35.16

-55.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.89

$2.06 MX$35.36

-43.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 R$4.15

$2.06 MX$35.43

-60.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 R$4.68

$2.17 MX$37.25

-57.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 R$2.34

$1.40 MX$24.08

-67.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.95

$1.12 MX$19.26

-48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.86

$4.29 MX$73.7

-54.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.68 R$23.67

$15.41 MX$265

-69.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.08

$1.67 MX$28.74

-40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 R$8.11

$3.69 MX$63.3

-56.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 R$4.09

$0.38 MX$6.55

113.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.40 R$194

$19.06 MX$327

101.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 R$4.66

$1.38 MX$23.70

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 R$3.08

$0.28 MX$4.74

117.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 R$29.66

$5.42 MX$92.9

8.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.22

$1.28 MX$21.98

-19.53%

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

$22.4K R$113.6K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

18.20%

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

$26.5K R$134.0K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

12.81%

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

$47.63 R$241

$41.02 MX$704

16.11%

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

$4.56 R$23.10

$26.92 MX$462

-83.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.73 R$89.8

$29.69 MX$510

-40.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.09 R$112

$52.3 MX$898

-57.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$108

$26.23 MX$450

-18.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.52 R$27.96

$6.18 MX$106

-10.68%

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

$199 R$1,010

$427 MX$7,331

-53.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,898 R$19.7K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-63.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.73 R$166

$56.8 MX$975

-42.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 R$265

$44.83 MX$769

16.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 R$368

$105 MX$1,794

-30.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.1 R$269

$106 MX$1,819

-49.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$135 R$685

$995 MX$17.1K

-86.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 R$527

$621 MX$10.7K

-83.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 R$1,225

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-88.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 R$1,174

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-81.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,534 R$7,768

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-60.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,123 R$5,687

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-46.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$445 R$2,254

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-59.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-11.82%

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

Last update for Varginha: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $135 in Varginha and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 149% 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: $22.00 in Varginha vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $288 per month, with Varginha 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

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

Varginha and Mexico City differ by about 138% in total monthly costs ($608 vs $1,447 including rent). Varginha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 149% 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: $135 in Varginha versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Varginha runs roughly 101% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $199 in Varginha versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $608 in Varginha versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Varginha but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Varginha 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 Varginha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 138% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.