Cost of Living Comparison Between Apple Valley, CA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Apple Valley, CA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,599 in Apple Valley, CA versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,737 in Apple Valley, CA versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,874 in Apple Valley, CA versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Apple Valley, CA is roughly 57% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Apple Valley, CA 90% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.28 $20.28

$11.92 MX$205

70.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.17 $48.17

$51.6 MX$889

-6.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.52 $11.52

$11.41 MX$197

0.96%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$3.99 MX$68.8

26.32%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$1.66 MX$28.57

54.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.33 MX$22.84

45.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.47 MX$59.8

68.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 $7.30

$5.90 MX$102

23.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.88 MX$32.31

-52.66%

White Bread (500g)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.25 MX$56.0

38.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.16 MX$37.21

103.24%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$2.90 MX$49.87

40.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.92 $10.92

$12.86 MX$221

-15.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 $11.54

$10.05 MX$173

14.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 $18.25

$15.86 MX$273

15.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$3.29 MX$56.7

68.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.01 MX$34.55

-18.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$2.20 MX$37.88

122.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.36 MX$40.57

111.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.05 MX$35.38

20.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.90 MX$32.75

61.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.61 MX$27.64

18.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.40 MX$24.05

80.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.84 $9.84

$5.46 MX$94.1

80.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 $13.84

$17.65 MX$304

-21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.06 MX$35.39

-14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 $3.78

$4.68 MX$80.7

-19.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.34 MX$5.83

482.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.10 MX$36.11

30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.56 MX$9.63

233.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.61 $32.61

$5.81 MX$100

461.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.61 MX$27.65

-41.61%

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

$32.0K $32.0K

$22.8K MX$393.3K

40.28%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$26.8K MX$460.6K

0.78%

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

$182 $182

$65.2 MX$1,122

179.86%

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

$52.7 $52.7

$30.09 MX$518

75.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.3 $79.3

$37.18 MX$640

113.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.42 $39.42

$59.8 MX$1,029

-34.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$15.50 $15.50

$7.04 MX$121

120.17%

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

$1,636 $1,636

$465 MX$8,001

252.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K $25.9K

$13.3K MX$228.6K

94.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$75.9 MX$1,307

-25.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.73 $42.73

$56.0 MX$963

-23.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 $98.7

$112 MX$1,926

-11.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$121 MX$2,075

3.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,675 $1,675

$1,103 MX$19.0K

51.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 $1,390

$721 MX$12.4K

92.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,607 $2,607

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,219 $2,219

$1,293 MX$22.3K

71.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 $2,551

$3,991 MX$68.7K

-36.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 $2,261

$2,090 MX$36.0K

8.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,700 $5,700

$1,037 MX$17.9K

449.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

11.3

-45.84%

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

Last update for Apple Valley, CA: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,675 in Apple Valley, CA and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Apple Valley, CA pays 450% 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: $48.00 in Apple Valley, CA vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $411 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

Apple Valley, CA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 450% higher in Apple Valley, CA, 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: $1,675 in Apple Valley, CA versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,636 in Apple Valley, CA versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $48.00 in Apple Valley, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,599 in Apple Valley, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Apple Valley, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Apple Valley, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Apple Valley, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.