Cost of Living in Merida

Summary of cost of living in Merida, Mexico:

  • The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are 2,499.1$ (46,388.4MXN), excluding rent (using our estimator).
  • The estimated monthly costs for a single person are 682.4$ (12,666.5MXN), excluding rent.
  • Merida is 41.9% less expensive than Columbus (excluding rent, see our cost of living index).
  • Rent in Merida is, on average, 58.4% lower than in Columbus.
Restaurants
Edit Range
Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant 200.00 MXN 100.00-371.24
Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) 1,000.00 MXN 742.49-2,000.00
Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) 130.00 MXN 120.00-180.00
Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) 55.00 MXN 30.00-80.00
Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) 74.25 MXN 60.00-85.00
Cappuccino (Regular Size) 68.96 MXN 50.00-150.00
Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) 22.89 MXN 18.00-50.00
Bottled Water (12 oz) 23.33 MXN 15.00-55.69
Markets
Edit
Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) 27.43 MXN 25.00-30.00
Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) 42.18 MXN 36.29-72.57
White Rice (1 lb) 14.06 MXN 8.62-18.14
Eggs (12, Large Size) 35.57 MXN 32.00-36.40
Local Cheese (1 lb) 87.32 MXN 72.57-136.08
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 56.62 MXN 45.36-61.24
Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) 95.48 MXN 79.38-126.55
Apples (1 lb) 23.66 MXN 13.61-27.22
Bananas (1 lb) 12.40 MXN 10.21-14.06
Oranges (1 lb) 20.11 MXN 11.34-31.75
Tomatoes (1 lb) 15.50 MXN 9.07-22.68
Potatoes (1 lb) 18.05 MXN 11.79-24.95
Onions (1 lb) 18.42 MXN 11.34-27.22
Lettuce (1 Head) 19.00 MXN 15.00-30.00
Bottled Water (50 oz) 19.17 MXN 14.50-22.00
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 200.00 MXN 130.00-300.00
Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) 25.17 MXN 15.00-40.00
Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) 42.80 MXN 25.00-65.00
Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) 79.00 MXN 75.00-85.00
Transportation
Edit
One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) 12.00 MXN 9.00-12.00
Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) 360.00 MXN 120.00-600.00
Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) 50.00 MXN 40.00-120.00
Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) 128.75 MXN 96.56-128.75
Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) 125.00 MXN 100.00-200.00
Gasoline (1 Liter) 24.57 MXN 23.99-25.50
Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) 579,995.00 MXN 360,000.00-799,990.00
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) 439,350.00 MXN 416,400.00-421,000.00
Utilities (Monthly)
Edit
Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) 1,692.83 MXN 1,000.00-3,695.65
Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) 452.11 MXN 300.00-599.00
Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) 602.80 MXN 400.00-810.00
Sports And Leisure
Edit
Monthly Fitness Club Membership 544.44 MXN 435.00-800.00
Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) 206.67 MXN 120.00-250.00
Cinema Ticket (International Release) 117.50 MXN 70.00-165.00
Childcare
Edit
Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child 7,306.22 MXN 2,800.00-15,000.00
International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child 66,000.00 MXN 54,000.00-78,000.00
Clothing And Shoes
Edit
Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) 1,009.69 MXN 700.00-1,248.17
Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) 987.80 MXN 700.00-1,800.00
Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 1,750.00 MXN 1,100.00-2,800.00
Men's Leather Business Shoes 1,600.00 MXN 700.00-3,000.00
Rent Per Month
Edit
1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre 11,666.67 MXN 8,500.00-15,000.00
1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre 9,111.11 MXN 6,500.00-15,000.00
3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre 23,714.29 MXN 19,000.00-32,000.00
3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre 15,687.50 MXN 13,000.00-25,000.00
Buy Apartment Price
Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 2,370.73 MXN 929.02-3,999.97
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 1,998.04 MXN 1,207.73-3,251.58
Salaries And Financing
Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 11,117.62 MXN
Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) 12.21 11.00-14.00

Prices in Merida

This city had 474 entries in the past 12 months by 48 different contributors.
Last update: 15 October 2025
Sources and References
Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
  
  
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7 Comments so far
Amo on Mar 03, 2025:
Most of these prices are grossly low.

The prices have doubled for nearly everything since 2020, CV.

Tons of Russian, Turks, Indians, Chinese, Africans, Arabs hanging around waiting to get to the border to cross over into US.

Prices of food and beer in Tijuana, are just 20% below that of San Diego, in some places it's even higher.

In general, people have become ruder, aggressive, and there are more scammers everywhere.

In CDMX, the metros and buses are jampacked worse than Tokyo all day and night.

Stay away from Hidalgo just outside the metro, as this is where the cannabis smokers aggregate, they are malicious, very different compared to most potheads around the world.

The pubs and restaurants overlooking the Cathedral square in the city centre Zocalo are complete tourist traps, the prices are outrageous.

Tons of Americans and Canadians have moved here, while they make money in dollars, jacking up rents and grocery prices for both locals and other tourists from not so rich countries.

The police in Tijuana stole $300 US dollars from me on the pretext of a false accusation made by a woman standing next to me at a cigarette vendor outside a bar. The next day, a hotel refused to give me 100 pesos deposit because I checked out 10 mins late.

Mexico isn't what it used to be, there is a negative energy in general and people are out to get you, especially if you are a foreigner.

Tons of missing women posters, absolutely brutal. This is a culture that just doesn't give a F about human life or basic emotions.

The classic Mexico of literature and movies, what we read and imagined about, is long dead and buried.

I am brown and I speak Spanish yet I felt unwelcome here.

Better go to El Salvador, it will overtake Mexico by 2030 in all aspects especially safety for women and less aggressive men. Costa Rica is better as well.
Winnie Hines on Jan 14, 2025:
I would like any/all information on moving to Mexico as an expat. Including how to become a citizen and if dual citizenship is allowed. Also will I be able to collect my American social security there. Any banking information would be appreciated also.
I need all information you can send.
Thank you
Winnie
Daniel Tyrrell on Jul 11, 2024:
I am a Canadian retiree expat who has lived in Mexico for 15 years, most of them in Merida. The city and surrounding areas continue to grow to accommodate the roughly 10.000 new arrivals each month, mostly from within Mexico (DF), South and Central America, Canada, the US and to a lesser degree Europe and the Australian-Asian regions. This, along with inflation, has increased the cost of living in Merida, notably in real estate, to the point that it is currently ranked 2nd in Mexico. What I paid in rent for an unfurnished 2 bedroom stand alone house 3 years rents a furnished studio apartment today. Having said this, recent figures show that the cost of living in Mexico is approximately 36% lower than in Canada.
If you can live with the earthquakes, Oaxaca is the state to live in.
Meridian on Jun 01, 2022:
Merida is now the 2nd Most Expensive City in Mexico to live in.
Additionally, Real-estate prices and construction costs have risen upwards of 30% over the last 2 years.

The immense influx of people from other parts of Mexico and the World, who have made Merida their home over the last 5 years is partly to blame for this.

While it continues to be the "Safest City in Mexico", crime does exist and it is simply and strategically not widely reported.

Yucatecans tend to be quite territorial and xenophobic towards those who have moved here from other somewhere else, particularly from other parts of Mexico; blaming them for the traffic, rise in cost of living, lack off employment opportunities and rising crime rates.

Nationally speaking, Yucatan consistently ranks in the Top 5 in the following categories in Mexico.
- Obesity
- Alcoholism
- Suicide
Bwg on Mar 28, 2021:
I like to live in Mexico when I'm living in Mexico. Could someone explain this concept to Mr. or Mrs Anonymous.
LR Johnson on Jan 08, 2021:
Price of recently built, three bedrooms, two bathrooms flat, located in quite residential area of Merida, which is close to shopping centers.
Johnny on Dec 23, 2020:
To the anonymous poster. A beer for 35 pesos is $1.75 US. Same as in Mexico City.. A $6 margarita is hardly expensive. Mexico is absurdly cheap, even compared to Guatemala.