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City comparison

Mexico City vs Cuenca

In short

Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.

  • Rent

    in Cuenca cheaper — −54%

  • Family budget

    in Cuenca cheaper — −66%

  • Internet

    in Cuenca cheaper — −32%

In numbers

Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.

  • House or apartment rent

    per month
    Mexico City≈ $854–1,470MX$15,386–26,435
    Cuenca$350–720$350–720
    cheaper by 54%
  • Family groceries

    per month
    Mexico City≈ $569MX$10,250
    Cuenca$362$362
    cheaper by 36%
  • Family budget

    per month
    Mexico City≈ $1,090MX$19,621
    Cuenca$369.6$369.6
    cheaper by 66%
  • Internet

    per month
    Mexico City≈ $22–78MX$389–1,399
    Cuenca$33.93$33.93
    cheaper by 32%
  • Winter

    average
    Mexico City6–21 °C6–21 °C
    Cuenca10–19 °C10–19 °C
  • Precipitation

    per year
    Mexico City816 mm816 mm
    Cuenca876 mm876 mm
  • Ready-made house

    purchase
    Mexico City≈ $190kMX$3.42M
    cheaper by 7%
    Cuenca$121,250–284,750$121,250–284,750

By topic

A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.

Housing

Mexico City

Buying: a typical two-bedroom

A typical 65 m² two-bedroom in Mexico City costs 3.42 million pesos, a 100 m² three-bedroom 4.64 million. By alcaldía, a square metre runs from 37.8k (Coyoacán) to 68.5k (Polanco). October 2025.

SpecialistInmuebles24: Mexico City sales and rental index, October 2025 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Rent for a two-bedroom by alcaldía

Two-bedroom: Cuauhtémoc (Roma, Condesa) 26.4k pesos, Miguel Hidalgo (Polanco) 26.4k, Benito Juárez (Del Valle, Narvarte) 19.4k, Coyoacán 15.4k. Data from October 2025.

SpecialistInmuebles24: Mexico City sales and rental index, October 2025 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Rent by colonia

Two-bedroom, agency estimates: Condesa 18–28k pesos, Roma 16–25, Polanco 25–45, Del Valle 12–20, Narvarte 10–16, Coyoacán 11–18. The estimate is approximate.

SpecialistHolaNeo: best neighborhoods for renting in Mexico City, 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Price per metre: Del Valle and Narvarte

Ready-built apartments in Del Valle are about 52.8k pesos per m², in Narvarte about 53.2k. One portal lists new builds in Del Valle Centro at 91k. Agency surveys.

SpecialistHome del Valle: prices per square meter in Del Valle, September 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Everything about housing in Mexico City →

Cuenca

Buying a house

A house with three or more bedrooms in the canton of Cuenca on RE/MAX listings is mostly 121-285k dollars, median 180k. An apartment with three or more bedrooms: median 192k.

SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of houses for sale (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Long-term rent

A three-bedroom apartment on RE/MAX listings is 350-540 dollars a month, a furnished two-bedroom up to 720. There are few listings, only 8 apartments.

SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of apartments for rent (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about housing in Cuenca →

Money and prices

Mexico City

Groceries for a family

The INEGI food basket for cities is 2,562.58 pesos per person a month, 10,250 for a family of four (August 2026). It is a minimum of food, not an actual receipt.

OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 30 Sep 2026

Family budget per month

The INEGI poverty line for cities is 4,905.33 pesos per person, 19,621 a month for a family of four (August 2026). It is a lower threshold without rent, not a real budget.

OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 30 Sep 2026

Everything about money and prices in Mexico City →

Cuenca

Groceries for a family

In INEC's official basket for a family of four in Cuenca, food and drinks cost 362 dollars a month (August 2026), of which 42 is eating out.

OfficialINEC: basic family consumption basket (CFBC) by city, August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Family budget per month

INEC's poverty line for a family of four is 370 dollars a month. INEC's basic basket for four in Cuenca is 894, the dearest in the country, with 219 for rent.

OfficialINEC: bulletin on income poverty, ENEMDU, December 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about money and prices in Cuenca →

Family and kids

Mexico City

Private schools and kindergartens

A private school in Mexico City is most often 4,000–15,000 pesos a month, international ones from 25,000. One school as an example: kindergarten 3,620, primary 4,110 a month. Plus an entry fee.

SpecialistMicole: how much a private school costs in Mexico City · checked 30 Sep 2026

Everything about family and kids in Mexico City →

Cuenca

Nothing yet

Healthcare

Mexico City

Healthcare: IMSS insurance

Voluntary IMSS insurance costs 8,900–21,300 pesos a year per person (742 to 1,775 a month). These are 2025 rates; for 2026 the press reports 9,300–22,150.

OfficialIMSS: Seguro de Salud para la Familia, voluntary insurance · checked 30 Sep 2026

Everything about healthcare in Mexico City →

Cuenca

Social security hospital

The IESS social security Hospital José Carrasco Arteaga is a third-level hospital with adult and paediatric ICU. It treats IESS members and patients of the public network.

OfficialIESS: Hospital de Especialidades José Carrasco Arteaga, home page · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about healthcare in Cuenca →

Transport

Mexico City

Getting around the city

Metro 5 pesos, Metrobús 6, the Metrobús airport line 30. The authorities confirmed that in 2026 the metro stays at 5. Minibuses were allowed to raise their fare by 1.5 pesos in 2025.

OfficialMexico City portal: how to ride the Metro and Metrobús, fares · checked 30 Sep 2026

Everything about transport in Mexico City →

Cuenca

Airport in the city

Mariscal La Mar airport is right in the city, on Avenida España. The flight to Quito takes about 55 minutes, to Guayaquil 35. Runway 1900 m at about 2530 m altitude.

OfficialCuenca airport (CORPAC): technical data · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about transport in Cuenca →

Climate

Mexico City

Winter

January, the coldest month: on average 5.8 degrees at night, 21.2 in the day. No snow, but the nights are cold, and homes usually have no heating.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Mexico City · checked 30 Sep 2026

Rainfall and seasonality

About 816 mm a year, almost all of it from June to September (135–175 mm a month). From November to March it is nearly dry: 4–12 mm a month. Series 1951–1980.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Mexico City · checked 30 Sep 2026

Everything about climate in Mexico City →

Cuenca

Winter climate

In June-August nights are 9-10 degrees and days 19-20. These are the coolest months; the rest of the year days are 20-22 and nights 10-11.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cuenca 1981-2010 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Precipitation and seasons

About 880 mm a year, and it rains often: 12 to 21 days a month. Driest in July-August (20-28 mm), wettest in March-April.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cuenca 1981-2010 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about climate in Cuenca →

Nature

Mexico City

Air quality

In 2023 there were 120 clean days out of 365 (all substances within the norm); the other 245 had poor air. Worst from March to June. The 2025 dry season had five ozone alerts.

OfficialSEDEMA: annual air quality report for Mexico City for 2023 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Everything about nature in Mexico City →

Cuenca

Nothing yet

Safety

Mexico City

Crime by alcaldía

Serious crimes per 100k residents, 2025: Cuauhtémoc 616, Miguel Hidalgo 324, Benito Juárez 311, Coyoacán 295. City-wide 274, nationwide 221.

SpecialistConsejo Ciudadano CDMX: high-impact crimes by alcaldía, 2025 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Earthquakes and ground

Roma, Condesa and Centro stand on lake-bed ground: shaking there can be up to 50 times stronger. The 2017 earthquake (magnitude 7.1): 228 dead according to Expansión.

OfficialSSN: report on the earthquake of 19 September 2017, Puebla-Morelos, magnitude 7.1 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Everything about safety in Mexico City →

Cuenca

Safety and risks

Cuenca is not in the state of emergency zone from 15 Sep 2026: in Azuay province only the canton of Camilo Ponce Enríquez is included. Forest fires are frequent in Azuay.

OfficialUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: travel advice for Ecuador · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about safety in Cuenca →

Internet and phone

Mexico City

Internet per month

From 389 pesos for 120 Mbps to 1399 for a gigabit at Telmex, taxes included. Totalplay is 390 for 100 Mbps. The plan includes calls within Mexico, the US and Canada.

SpecialistTelmex: Infinitum home packages, valid until 30 September 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Internet speed

Telmex sells home internet from 120 to 1000 Mbps. Up to 350 Mbps download and upload are the same; on the higher plans upload is lower. Totalplay starts at 100 Mbps.

SpecialistTelmex: Infinitum home packages, valid until 30 September 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Mexico City →

Cuenca

Fibre-optic internet

Netlife sells 850 Mbit/s fibre for 33.93 dollars a month including tax, 16.96 on promotion. The municipal ETAPA sells plans from 19.99 dollars plus taxes.

SpecialistNetlife: home fibre-optic internet plans · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Cuenca →

Services

Mexico City

LP gas: price cap

Price cap for liquefied LP gas (CNE) in Mexico City for 27.09–3.10.2026: 20.10 pesos per kg, 10.85 per litre. A 20 kg cylinder at the cap is about 402 pesos.

OfficialComisión Nacional de Energía: maximum LP gas prices from 27 September to 3 October 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Electricity: CFE tariff

Tariff 1 for June 2026: 1.125 pesos per kWh up to 75 kWh, 1.369 for the next 65, then 4.004. Above 140 kWh the price almost quadruples. Plus 16% VAT.

SpecialistUnoTV: CFE home tariffs for June 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Water: the Cutzamala system

The Cutzamala system supplies about a quarter of the valley's water. As of 23 September 2026 it is 86% full; in April it was 52%. The shortfall by city district has not been established.

SpecialistExpansión: Cutzamala System fill level as of 17 September 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Water: SACMEX tariff

The water bill comes once every two months, the price per m³ rises in steps and depends on the neighbourhood's development index: a subsidy of up to 91% in poor areas, about 60% in rich ones. We did not find the price in pesos.

SpecialistGrupo Animal: water tariffs and payment in Mexico City, how the tariff works under the Código Fiscal · checked 30 Sep 2026

Everything about services in Mexico City →

Cuenca

Electricity at CENTROSUR tariff

Electricity is 0.091-0.105 dollars per kWh by block plus 1.41 a month. 300 kWh comes to about 30 dollars before the street lighting and fire service charges.

OfficialRegistro Oficial No. 380, 9th supplement: resolution ARCONEL-009/2026, electricity tariffs for October-December 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Water and sewerage, ETAPA

Water is 0.60 dollars per m³ up to 10 m³, then 0.70, plus 3.32 a month; sewerage is half the water bill. 15 m³ comes to about 19 dollars (2024 tariff).

OfficialETAPA EP: water and sewerage tariffs 2024 (brochure "Conoce nuestras tarifas") · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about services in Cuenca →

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