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: $1,993 in Ankeny, IA versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,892 in Ankeny, IA versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,790 in Ankeny, IA versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Ankeny, IA is roughly 36% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ankeny, IA 49% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 $15.25

$13.18 MX$228

15.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 $57.7

$53.9 MX$934

6.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 $11.81

$9.42 MX$163

25.37%

Cappuccino

$6.17 $6.17

$3.55 MX$61.5

73.80%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$1.62 MX$28.03

58.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.11 MX$19.31

41.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.12 MX$54.1

63.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 $7.11

$4.63 MX$80.2

53.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.70 MX$29.48

-46.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.72 MX$47.10

-10.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.91 MX$33.13

17.80%

Eggs

$3.63 $3.63

$2.54 MX$43.94

42.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.90 $10.90

$10.03 MX$174

8.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.94 $10.94

$8.09 MX$140

35.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 $14.32

$11.62 MX$201

23.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.97 MX$51.4

52.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.81 MX$31.30

11.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.01 MX$34.88

141.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.03 MX$35.26

123.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.12 MX$36.82

69.34%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.27 MX$39.32

46.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.40 MX$24.26

-25.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 $0.67

$1.13 MX$19.59

-40.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.01 $9.01

$4.27 MX$74.0

111.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.30 $15.30

$15.56 MX$270

-1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.76 MX$30.44

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.60 MX$62.3

-5.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.38 MX$6.64

418.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.38 MX$23.84

44.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.28 MX$4.79

671.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.24 $20.24

$5.45 MX$94.4

271.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.30 MX$22.60

-36.15%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$18.7K MX$323.8K

40.38%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$23.1K MX$400.8K

4.19%

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

$146 $146

$40.86 MX$708

258.15%

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

$49.88 $49.88

$26.81 MX$465

86.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 $62.9

$29.96 MX$519

110.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.89 $42.89

$52.0 MX$901

-17.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$6.30 MX$109

140.16%

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

$1,088 $1,088

$436 MX$7,558

149.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K $11.7K

$10.4K MX$180.5K

11.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 $49.04

$56.7 MX$982

-13.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 $34.51

$44.38 MX$769

-22.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 $84.5

$103 MX$1,784

-17.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 $94.0

$106 MX$1,829

-10.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$924 $924

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-9.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$916 $916

$631 MX$10.9K

45.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,850 $1,850

$2,136 MX$37.0K

-13.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 $1,353

$1,243 MX$21.5K

8.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,274 $5,274

$1,115 MX$19.3K

373.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.34

-42.33%

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

Last update for Ankeny, IA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $924 in Ankeny, IA and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ankeny, IA pays 373% 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: $58.0 in Ankeny, IA vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $288 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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 36% in total monthly costs ($1,993 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ankeny, IA pays 373% more on average, 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: $924 in Ankeny, IA versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Ankeny, IA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,993 per month in Ankeny, IA versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,993 in Ankeny, IA, a $2,000 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 36% less than in Ankeny, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.