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: $688 in Varginha versus $1,591 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,110 in Varginha versus $2,478 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,533 in Varginha versus $3,365 in Mexico City.

Living in Varginha costs roughly 57% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Varginha is 49% below, Mexico City is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.48 R$44.27

$12.06 MX$219

-29.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.07 R$120

$50.8 MX$923

-54.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 R$35.39

$10.90 MX$198

-37.80%

Cappuccino

$0.99 R$5.15

$3.75 MX$68.2

-73.60%

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

$0.85 R$4.42

$1.61 MX$29.28

-47.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 R$3.10

$1.32 MX$23.89

-55.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 R$7.20

$3.37 MX$61.1

-59.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 R$17.76

$5.69 MX$103

-40.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 R$4.57

$1.77 MX$32.14

-50.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 R$8.12

$3.08 MX$55.9

-49.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 R$5.12

$1.97 MX$35.70

-50.25%

Eggs

$1.37 R$7.15

$2.79 MX$50.7

-50.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 R$45.53

$11.92 MX$216

-26.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 R$18.03

$9.40 MX$171

-63.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.87 R$46.30

$15.30 MX$278

-42.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 R$7.06

$3.16 MX$57.3

-57.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.88

$1.98 MX$35.96

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.24

$2.07 MX$37.60

-51.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.18

$2.33 MX$42.26

-57.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 R$5.08

$2.07 MX$37.57

-53.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 R$4.88

$1.92 MX$34.91

-51.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 R$2.45

$1.52 MX$27.67

-69.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.37

$1.32 MX$24.05

-50.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 R$11.27

$5.26 MX$95.5

-58.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.77 R$24.90

$16.84 MX$306

-71.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.65

$1.95 MX$35.43

-44.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 R$9.15

$4.37 MX$79.4

-59.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 R$4.78

$0.34 MX$6.20

167.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.86 R$250

$19.99 MX$363

139.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 R$4.78

$1.98 MX$35.87

-53.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.58

$0.57 MX$10.42

21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 R$32.86

$5.42 MX$98.5

16.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.56

$1.53 MX$27.74

-30.07%

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

$23.2K R$121.4K

$21.5K MX$390.2K

8.16%

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

$28.8K R$150.3K

$25.3K MX$460.0K

13.61%

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

$92.1 R$481

$61.5 MX$1,117

49.74%

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

$4.86 R$25.38

$27.38 MX$497

-82.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 R$99.2

$34.93 MX$634

-45.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.39 R$127

$56.8 MX$1,032

-57.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.99 R$141

$25.27 MX$459

6.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 R$39.57

$6.84 MX$124

10.82%

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

$210 R$1,094

$438 MX$7,958

-52.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,127 R$21.6K

$12.8K MX$233.2K

-67.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.00 R$178

$71.2 MX$1,293

-52.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 R$296

$53.7 MX$976

5.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 R$407

$109 MX$1,983

-28.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.0 R$303

$117 MX$2,120

-50.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$144 R$752

$1,050 MX$19.1K

-86.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 R$581

$686 MX$12.5K

-83.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 R$1,381

$2,410 MX$43.8K

-89.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$245 R$1,281

$1,258 MX$22.8K

-80.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,615 R$8,434

$3,814 MX$69.2K

-57.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,137 R$5,940

$1,994 MX$36.2K

-42.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$437 R$2,283

$998 MX$18.1K

-56.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-11.50%

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

Last update for Varginha: September 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $144 in Varginha and $1,050 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 128% 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: $23.00 in Varginha vs $51.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $160 vs $328 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 131% in total monthly costs ($688 vs $1,591 including rent). Varginha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 128% 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: $144 in Varginha versus $1,050 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 139% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $210 in Varginha versus $438 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $688 in Varginha versus $1,591 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 131% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.