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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,396 in Arlington, WA versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,512 in Arlington, WA versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,629 in Arlington, WA versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Arlington, WA is roughly 63% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arlington, WA 80% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.62 $16.62

$13.14 MX$229

26.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 $73.4

$53.5 MX$934

37.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.51 $12.51

$9.33 MX$163

34.08%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$3.70 MX$64.5

43.24%

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

$2.86 $2.86

$1.60 MX$27.98

78.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.12 MX$19.49

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.14 MX$54.7

57.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.15 $12.15

$4.85 MX$84.5

150.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.65 MX$28.84

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.71 MX$47.34

51.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$1.91 MX$33.29

153.93%

Eggs

$4.78 $4.78

$2.59 MX$45.17

84.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 $9.84

$9.81 MX$171

0.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 $8.01

$8.43 MX$147

-4.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.67 $15.67

$11.93 MX$208

31.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.95 MX$51.5

-7.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.74 MX$30.35

-5.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.04 MX$35.66

149.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.06 MX$35.93

148.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.15 MX$37.49

55.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.26 MX$39.33

25.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.39 MX$24.17

40.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.12 MX$19.47

166.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 $10.93

$4.22 MX$73.6

159.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.27 $18.27

$17.51 MX$305

4.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.71 MX$29.82

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 $6.42

$3.63 MX$63.4

76.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.35 MX$6.15

460.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.38 MX$24.00

92.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 $0.74

$0.28 MX$4.81

164.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.66 $29.66

$5.28 MX$92.0

461.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.36 MX$23.69

-24.26%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$19.1K MX$333.2K

88.83%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$23.6K MX$411.7K

3.69%

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

$216 $216

$40.53 MX$707

431.83%

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

$50.2 $50.2

$27.38 MX$478

83.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.37 $44.37

$30.38 MX$530

46.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.34 $33.34

$52.2 MX$911

-36.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$14.91 $14.91

$6.19 MX$108

140.87%

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

$2,101 $2,101

$425 MX$7,414

394.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.8K $31.8K

$10.7K MX$187.2K

196.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.42 $37.42

$58.3 MX$1,017

-35.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.94 $39.94

$44.57 MX$777

-10.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 $72.1

$103 MX$1,805

-30.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$109 MX$1,897

-7.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 $1,296

$1,014 MX$17.7K

27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 $1,200

$623 MX$10.9K

92.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,533 $2,533

$2,119 MX$37.0K

19.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,036 $2,036

$1,223 MX$21.3K

66.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,714 $5,714

$1,052 MX$18.4K

443.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

11.34

-57.23%

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

Last update for Arlington, WA: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,296 in Arlington, WA and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, WA pays 443% 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: $73.0 in Arlington, WA vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $293 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, WA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, WA and Mexico City differ by about 63% in total monthly costs ($2,396 vs $1,472 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 443% higher in Arlington, WA, 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: $1,296 in Arlington, WA versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Arlington, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,396 per month in Arlington, WA versus $1,472 in Mexico City – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $2,396 in Arlington, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Arlington, WA. 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 63% less than in Arlington, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.