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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,165 in Ankeny, IA versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,218 in Ankeny, IA versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,271 in Ankeny, IA versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Ankeny, IA is roughly 29% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ankeny, IA 57% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.06 $20.06

$12.14 MX$206

65.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$53.9 MX$914

48.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$11.09 MX$188

6.94%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$4.10 MX$69.5

45.85%

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

$3.04 $3.04

$1.68 MX$28.53

80.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.39 MX$23.55

84.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.33 MX$56.5

48.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 $5.91

$5.88 MX$99.7

0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.85 MX$31.41

-34.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.17 MX$53.8

-9.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.07 MX$35.13

57.00%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$2.93 MX$49.67

37.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$12.59 MX$214

-23.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 $9.48

$10.11 MX$172

-6.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 $13.66

$16.09 MX$273

-15.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.39 MX$57.5

27.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.08 MX$35.26

-28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.12 MX$35.97

110.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.41 MX$40.95

53.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.13 MX$36.11

-9.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.01 MX$34.02

30.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.55 MX$26.21

50.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 $0.66

$1.36 MX$23.15

-51.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.08 $8.08

$5.77 MX$97.8

40.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 $14.77

$17.74 MX$301

-16.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.07 MX$35.11

-17.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$4.61 MX$78.3

-52.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.05 MX$34.84

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.58 MX$9.79

106.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.95 $19.95

$6.07 MX$103

228.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.55 MX$26.34

-42.58%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

53.76%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-10.31%

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

$204 $204

$67.4 MX$1,144

202.28%

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

$66.4 $66.4

$30.62 MX$520

116.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$37.24 MX$632

89.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 $73.6

$61.5 MX$1,043

19.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$14.95 $14.95

$7.11 MX$121

110.27%

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

$1,167 $1,167

$456 MX$7,739

155.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K $11.7K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-14.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 $59.7

$74.2 MX$1,259

-19.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.38 $43.38

$57.0 MX$967

-23.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$115 MX$1,958

-10.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$122 MX$2,061

19.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 $954

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-16.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 $906

$709 MX$12.0K

27.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 $1,842

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-28.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 $1,414

$1,295 MX$22.0K

9.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,222 $5,222

$1,082 MX$18.4K

382.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

11.3

-46.64%

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

Last update for Ankeny, IA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $954 in Ankeny, IA and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ankeny, IA pays 383% 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: $80.0 in Ankeny, IA vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $325 vs $345, with Ankeny, IA 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

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

Ankeny, IA and Mexico City differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,165 vs $1,677 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 383% higher in Ankeny, 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: $954 in Ankeny, IA versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Ankeny, IA pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,165 per month in Ankeny, IA versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $2,165 in Ankeny, IA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Ankeny, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ankeny, IA and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Ankeny, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.