Mexico Cost of Living Calculator for Expats
Pick a city, your household and the kind of home you want to get a rough monthly budget for living in Mexico.
Typical monthly prices by city (MXN)
| City | 1-bed centre | 3-bed outside | Bills* | Cheap meal | Living costs, 1 person** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | 18,978 | 22,700 | 2,261 | 200 | 14,150 |
| Guadalajara | 15,711 | 18,033 | 1,886 | 250 | 12,348 |
| Mérida | 11,489 | 17,750 | 3,099 | 249 | 13,150 |
| Puerto Vallarta (rough) | 23,800 | 20,433 | 2,633 | 250 | 14,264 |
| San Miguel de Allende (rough) | 19,501 | 24,519 | 1,804 | 275 | 14,293 |
| Querétaro | 15,563 | 15,300 | 2,004 | 200 | 14,027 |
| Playa del Carmen (rough) | 18,029 | 20,000 | 2,497 | 200 | No estimate |
* Electricity, water and gas for an 85 m² flat, home internet and a mobile plan. ** Everything except rent. Source: Numbeo, October 2026. Crowd-sourced estimates, not official figures.
Check you meet the money requirement with the residency income and savings calculator, or see what buying costs with the property closing cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need a month to live in Mexico City?
On typical figures, a single person renting a one-bedroom flat in the centre spends about MXN 33,128 a month: about MXN 18,978 in rent plus about MXN 14,150 for food, transport, bills and other spending. Health cover comes on top.
Which Mexican city is cheapest for expats?
Of the cities here, Mérida has the lowest central rents, and Guadalajara and Querétaro are cheaper than Mexico City. Puerto Vallarta and San Miguel de Allende have high central rents for their size.
Where do these figures come from?
From Numbeo, a site where residents report the prices they pay, as of October 2026. They are estimates, not official statistics. Puerto Vallarta, San Miguel de Allende and Playa del Carmen have few reports, so treat those as rough.
Can expats use IMSS health insurance?
Temporary and permanent residents can join IMSS voluntarily (Seguro de Salud para la Familia). From March 2026 the yearly fee per person runs from MXN 9,300 for under-20s to MXN 22,150 for people 80 and over. Pre-existing conditions and waiting periods limit what is covered at first.
How much is private international health insurance?
One broker's data put the average international health plan in Mexico at about USD 5,485 a year per person (2024, all ages). Older applicants pay much more.
Sources
- Numbeo cost of living (crowd-sourced, October 2026) (independent guide)
- IMSS - Seguro de Salud para la Familia (official)
- Pacific Prime - Health insurance for Canadian expats in Mexico (2026 guide) (independent guide)
Rules last checked: Fri, 16 October 2026. Rules change; if something looks out of date, trust the official source (INM, the SAT or your Mexican consulate) over this page.