Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, KY and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, KY and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,674 in Arlington, KY versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,938 in Arlington, KY versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,201 in Arlington, KY versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

Living in Arlington, KY is roughly 81% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arlington, KY 100% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.78 $17.78

$13.16 MX$229

35.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 $80.7

$53.6 MX$932

50.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 $10.19

$9.55 MX$166

6.70%

Cappuccino

$6.01 $6.01

$3.72 MX$64.8

61.56%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$1.57 MX$27.28

84.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.16 MX$20.12

113.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.64 $6.64

$3.18 MX$55.4

108.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 $7.79

$4.63 MX$80.6

68.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.71 MX$29.67

-59.06%

White Bread (500g)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.62 MX$45.54

54.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$1.89 MX$32.87

142.86%

Eggs

$3.79 $3.79

$2.60 MX$45.17

45.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.91 MX$172

26.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$8.22 MX$143

86.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$11.78 MX$205

37.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.00 MX$52.1

48.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.80 MX$31.32

-22.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.07 MX$36.08

127.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$1.97 MX$34.23

175.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.07 MX$36.05

-6.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.17 MX$37.84

4.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.40 MX$24.41

46.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.07 MX$18.70

42.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.09 $9.09

$4.12 MX$71.7

120.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$17.42 MX$303

-14.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.68 MX$29.16

19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.65 MX$63.5

21.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.38 MX$6.62

442.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$1.33 MX$23.13

279.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.30 MX$5.27

420.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.72 $20.72

$5.51 MX$95.9

276.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.31 MX$22.72

-35.11%

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

$32.5K $32.5K

$19.2K MX$333.5K

69.49%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$23.7K MX$413.3K

10.21%

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

$206 $206

$41.14 MX$716

399.64%

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

$71.2 $71.2

$27.74 MX$483

156.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$30.13 MX$524

138.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.36 $43.36

$53.7 MX$935

-19.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 $15.22

$6.49 MX$113

134.51%

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

$1,262 $1,262

$437 MX$7,598

188.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K $29.9K

$10.5K MX$182.0K

186.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 $59.4

$58.3 MX$1,015

1.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.47 $48.47

$45.86 MX$798

5.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 $92.3

$101 MX$1,765

-9.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$107 MX$1,854

27.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 $1,629

$1,005 MX$17.5K

62.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 $1,331

$634 MX$11.0K

110.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 $2,665

$2,148 MX$37.4K

24.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,250 $2,250

$1,247 MX$21.7K

80.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,407 $2,407

$3,859 MX$67.2K

-37.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,124 $2,124

$2,085 MX$36.3K

1.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,005 $6,005

$1,072 MX$18.7K

460.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

11.34

-42.50%

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

Last update for Arlington, KY: July 19, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,629 in Arlington, KY and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, KY pays 460% 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: $81.0 in Arlington, KY vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $291 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

Arlington, KY vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, KY and Mexico City differ by about 81% in total monthly costs ($2,674 vs $1,481 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 460% higher in Arlington, KY, 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: $1,629 in Arlington, KY versus $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Arlington, KY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,674 per month in Arlington, KY versus $1,481 in Mexico City – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,481 in Mexico City versus $2,674 in Arlington, KY, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Arlington, KY. 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Arlington, KY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.