Fledge
Relocation

Cost of living in Mexico City

Cost of living

Rent is the number that moves everything: it swings 2x or more between Roma/Condesa and Narvarte/Coyoacan. A 6-to-12-month local lease is roughly half the cost of a monthly furnished let marketed to foreigners.

Everything else is cheap by North American standards: the Metro is USD 0.29 a ride, groceries from local markets run a few thousand pesos a month, and Mexico City's mild climate keeps utility bills low since you rarely need heating or air conditioning.

Rent

ItemCostDetailsReviewedSource
1-bed, Roma Norte (unfurnished, 12-mo lease)MXN 14,000-20,000 (USD 810-1,200)/moFurnished monthly lets marketed to foreigners run USD 1,600-2,400/mo for the same size.Oct 2026Remoters
1-bed, Condesa (unfurnished, 12-mo lease)MXN 12,000-18,000 (USD 700-1,000)/moFurnished monthly lets run USD 1,700-2,700/mo; Condesa carries a park premium over Roma.Oct 2026Remoters
1-bed, Narvarte or Del ValleMXN 9,000-14,000 (USD 520-810)/moHoum's 2026 band for 1-beds in Narvarte and Del Valle is USD 700-1,000; Coyoacan 1-2 beds run USD 580-1,200.Oct 2026Houm
1-bed, city center average (all listings)MXN 19,400 (USD 1,100)/mo (USD 1,100/mo)Outside the center the average 1-bed is USD 710/mo (USD 710/mo). Updated Oct 11, 2026.Oct 2026CityCost
2-bed, Polanco or CondesaMXN 25,000-45,000 (USD 1,400-2,600)/moNewer builds and furnished units push past this band; Polanco 2-beds reach USD 2,300-3,800.Oct 2026Houm

Groceries

ItemCostDetailsReviewedSource
Groceries, one person, cooking mostly at homeMXN 3,500-6,000 (USD 200-350)/moLocal markets (tianguis) and fondas keep it low; imported brands at upscale supermarkets can double it.Oct 2026News-Nest
Groceries benchmark (cost-of-living index)USD 323/mo (~MXN 5,850 (USD 340))A mid-range dinner for two is about USD 50; a comida corrida set lunch runs USD 6-12.Oct 2026CityCost

Transport

ItemCostDetailsReviewedSource
Metro rideMXN 5 (USD 0.29)One of the cheapest metros in the world. Monthly public-transport spend for a regular commuter is about USD 20-29.Oct 2026Budget Travel Mexico
Ecobici annual membershipMXN 566 (USD 33)/yrUnlimited 45-minute trips, Latin America's largest bike-share. 1-day pass USD 7.5.Oct 2026Ecobici (CDMX)
Rideshare and car-free totalMXN 850-2,550 (USD 49-150)/moUber and DiDi are plentiful at USD 3-6 a typical trip; peak-hour traffic makes the Metro faster anyway.Oct 2026Budget Travel Mexico

Utilities

ItemCostDetailsReviewedSource
Electricity, water and gas, modest apartmentMXN 1,300-2,000 (USD 75-120)/moCFE's tiered (DAC) tariff can spike bills if you run heavy AC; Mexico City's climate means you rarely need it.Oct 2026News-Nest
Home fiber internetMXN 350-700 (USD 20-41)/moTelmex, Totalplay and Izzi offer 100-500 Mbps plans for USD 25-45/mo in most expat colonias. Mobile SIM about USD 9.5-12/mo.Oct 2026My Deztination
Utilities plus internet (index benchmark)USD 126/mo (~MXN 2,280 (USD 130))Covers electricity, water, gas and internet. Updated Oct 11, 2026.Oct 2026CityCost

School fees

ItemCostDetailsReviewedSource
International school tuition, annualMXN 120,000-640,000 (USD 7,000-37,100)/yrRange spans mid-tier bilingual schools to top British and American programs; see Schools section for named schools.Oct 2026Expat School Guide

Healthcare

ItemCostDetailsReviewedSource
Voluntary IMSS enrollment (public system)USD 400-1,150/yrAnnual premium set by age band (cuotas in force from March 1, 2026). Covers public clinics and hospitals, but expect 30-90 day waits for non-urgent care.Oct 2026Relocate.world
Private health insurance, Mexican planUSD 120-400/moGNP entry tier from about USD 120/mo per adult; mid-tier no-copay plans for a couple run USD 200-400/mo. International plans (Cigna, GeoBlue) run USD 400-900/mo.Oct 2026Move in Mexico
Out-of-pocket private careUSD 20-80 per visitGP visits USD 20-40, specialists USD 40-80. Major procedures typically cost 50-80% less than in the US.Oct 2026Black to Mexico

Build your budget

Plan your monthly budget

Tap a city and a lifestyle. The bars move with you, so you can see exactly where lean ends and premium begins.

City
Household
Lifestyle

1 person · Comfortable · Lisbon

EUR 2,200/mo

EUR 2,200/mo per person

Where it goes

  • Housing50%· rent in expat-favored neighborhoods
  • Food20%· groceries plus a few restaurant meals a week
  • Transport & utilities15%· transit passes, phone, power, water
  • Buffer15%· visa fees, deposits, first-month setup

A typical split for a comfortable budget. Shares shift by city and neighborhood; housing is the biggest piece everywhere.

Related