Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,154 in Ames, IA versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,214 in Ames, IA versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,273 in Ames, IA versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Ames, IA is roughly 31% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ames, IA 57% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 $18.20

$12.11 MX$206

50.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.1 $52.1

$52.2 MX$887

-0.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$10.90 MX$185

10.73%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$4.05 MX$68.8

25.19%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.72 MX$29.13

54.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.38 MX$23.40

62.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.47 MX$58.9

18.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$5.81 MX$98.7

21.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.85 MX$31.48

-51.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.22 MX$54.7

13.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.09 MX$35.42

60.77%

Eggs

$3.34 $3.34

$2.91 MX$49.41

14.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$12.49 MX$212

-18.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.39 $14.39

$10.11 MX$172

42.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.47 $18.47

$15.89 MX$270

16.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.31 MX$56.3

77.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.13 MX$36.12

-14.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$2.19 MX$37.20

194.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.45 MX$41.57

104.90%

Potato (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.19 MX$37.18

97.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.90 MX$32.35

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.62 MX$27.44

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.35 MX$22.92

88.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.14 $13.14

$5.43 MX$92.1

141.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.85 $15.85

$17.59 MX$299

-9.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.07 MX$35.12

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 $5.05

$4.75 MX$80.6

6.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.34 MX$5.77

197.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.29 $35.29

$21.58 MX$366

63.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.04 MX$34.65

146.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$0.58 MX$9.82

187.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.03 $24.03

$5.97 MX$101

302.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.62 MX$27.44

-43.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.3K $25.3K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

10.89%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.7K MX$452.8K

-6.03%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$160 $160

$65.2 MX$1,108

145.59%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$54.9 $54.9

$29.87 MX$507

83.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$36.55 MX$621

87.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 $68.9

$61.0 MX$1,036

12.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.76 $19.76

$26.70 MX$453

-25.99%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 $15.77

$6.85 MX$116

130.22%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,376 $1,376

$453 MX$7,700

203.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K $36.0K

$13.4K MX$227.1K

168.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 $58.7

$75.0 MX$1,273

-21.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 $44.80

$55.3 MX$939

-18.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$114 MX$1,929

-20.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$123 MX$2,083

-13.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 $1,032

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-8.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$823 $823

$712 MX$12.1K

15.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 $1,806

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-29.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 $1,513

$1,311 MX$22.3K

15.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,403 $2,403

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-39.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,224 $2,224

$2,095 MX$35.6K

6.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,636 $3,636

$1,047 MX$17.8K

247.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.02

11.3

-46.73%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ames, IA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,032 in Ames, IA and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 247% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Ames, IA vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $438 vs $345, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ames, IA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Ames, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 247% higher in Ames, IA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,032 in Ames, IA versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 64% less than in Ames, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,376 in Ames, IA versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $2,154 in Ames, IA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Ames, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,646 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Ames, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.