Which place is cheaper, Mexico City or Brasilia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Brasilia or Mexico City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Brasilia and Mexico City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Brasilia or Mexico City?
Brasilia
The capital city of Brazil, Brasilia is a uniquely-planned city that was constructed in four years from 1956-1960 in the shape of a large bird or airplane. Renowned for its modern architecture, the city listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and attracts architecture aficionados worldwide.
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil, The Best Luxury Tours to Brazil, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Mexico, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBrasilia $78Mexico City $181
The average daily cost (per person) in Brasilia is $78, while the average daily cost in Mexico City is $181. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Brasilia and Mexico City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBrasilia $33Mexico City $36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBrasilia $66Mexico City $72
Compare Hotels in Brasilia and Mexico City
Looking for a hotel in Brasilia or Mexico City? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Brasilia Hotel Prices and Mexico City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Brasilia $21Mexico City $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
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Metro$1.01
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Uber Ride$3.55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Aguascalientes Airport (AGU) Aguascalientes - RoundTrip Transfer: $49
- Aguascalientes to Aguascalientes Airport (AGU) Departure Transfer: $25
- Airport Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Business Car: $88
- Airport Transfer: Mexico Airport NLU to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $198
- Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Business Car: $88
- Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport NLU by Luxury SUV: $198
- Arrival Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Business Car: $88
- Arrival Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $99
- Arrival Transfer: Mexico Airport NLU to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $198
- Departure Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Business Car: $88
- Departure Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Luxury SUV: $99
- Departure Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport NLU by Luxury SUV: $198
Is it cheaper to fly into Brasilia or Mexico City?
Prices for flights to both Mexico City and Brasilia change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayBrasilia $30Mexico City $23
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$11
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Coffee and Snacks$3.96
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Dinner for 2$23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Mexico City Street Food Tour (Private) - Best Rated: $29
- Private Street Food Tour Mexico City - Best rated : $35
- Veracruz and Boca del Rio Food Tour with Mangroves Boat Trip: $50
- Virtual Mexican Cooking Class (private and personalized): $50
- Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $50
- Art and Food Tour with Lunch: $52
- Uruapan Food Tour: $53
- Mexico City Food Tour in the Historic Center: $54
- Mexico City Food Tour: Coyoacan Local Experience: $55
- Private Half-Day Traditional Markets Street Food Tour in Mexico City: $57
- Coyoacan Food Tour with a Local Guide: $58
- 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $58
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Brasilia $18Mexico City $13
Tours and Activities in Brasilia
Here are a few actual costs in Brasilia for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Brasilia : Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide: $60
- Brasilia Tour: $41
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- MUCHO Museum of Chocolate Entrance Ticket: $4.15
- Mexico City (Coyoacan) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.76
- Anthropology and History Museum Tour + Chapultepec Castle: $5.00
- Franz Mayer Museum Regular Admission Ticket: $5.19
- Double Decker Bus Night Tour: $6.22
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Mexico for Beginners: $6.99
- Chimalistac District Quest Experience in Mexico City: $7.23
- Memory and Tolerance Museum Entry Ticket: $7.26
- La Roma's Famous Sights and Local Lore: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Night Bus Tour: $9.00
- Mexico City Night Bus Tour: $9.00
- Mexico City (Historic Centre) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $9.54
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBrasilia $14Mexico City $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- Mexico City Pub Crawl: $21
- CDMX Pub Crawl: Mexico City Bar Crawl: $23
- Mexico City Bar Crawl: $41
- NORTH ROME NORTH CDMX BEER TOUR (Get to know 4 brewery places): $49
- Polanco: Private Wine Tasting in with Cheese: $83
- Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $89
- Teotihuacan´s Best Balloon Flight: Pyramids and Brewery tours : $120
- Historic Center from Above © Rooftop Bar Crawl: $129
- Polanco: Premium Foodie Tour with Wine Tasting: $155
- Third Largest Monolith in the World:Bernal with wine tasting: $235
- Teotihuacan Full Day: Balloon flight+Pyramids Tour and Craft Brewery: $244
- Cavas Freixenet Wine Tour from Mexico City: $255
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Brasilia and Mexico City, we can see that Mexico City is more expensive. And not only is Brasilia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Brasilia is in South America and Mexico City is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Brasilia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Brasilia and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City than you might in Brasilia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Brasilia Expensive? and Is Mexico City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Brasilia or Mexico City?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Brasilia. When comparing the sizes of Brasilia and Mexico City, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.