Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburn, VA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburn, VA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,321 in Ashburn, VA versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,445 in Ashburn, VA versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,570 in Ashburn, VA versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Ashburn, VA is roughly 128% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashburn, VA 149% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$13.07 MX$228

50.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$53.8 MX$936

46.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.13 $13.13

$9.68 MX$169

35.64%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$3.74 MX$65.1

52.67%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$1.62 MX$28.13

72.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.16 MX$20.23

118.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.23 MX$56.2

103.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$4.74 MX$82.5

70.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.65 MX$28.68

-34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.75 MX$47.95

32.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$1.87 MX$32.63

222.99%

Eggs

$5.04 $5.04

$2.50 MX$43.54

101.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.95 $18.95

$10.20 MX$178

85.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$8.25 MX$144

54.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.99 $21.99

$11.82 MX$206

86.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$3.01 MX$52.4

87.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.81 MX$31.54

-1.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.15 $7.15

$2.00 MX$34.81

257.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$2.00 MX$34.74

221.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.08 MX$36.30

65.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.27 MX$39.56

22.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.46 MX$25.36

51.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.08 MX$18.74

128.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 $8.04

$4.35 MX$75.7

84.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.69 $17.69

$16.99 MX$296

4.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.73 MX$30.18

-1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 $3.76

$3.58 MX$62.3

5.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.39 MX$6.74

471.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 $73.0

$18.69 MX$325

290.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.33 MX$23.08

231.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$0.28 MX$4.87

375.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.52 $29.52

$5.25 MX$91.5

462.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.34 MX$23.27

-39.55%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

37.10%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

5.63%

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

$207 $207

$40.69 MX$709

407.82%

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

$62.0 $62.0

$26.87 MX$468

130.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.9 $67.9

$30.51 MX$531

122.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.9 $61.9

$52.8 MX$919

17.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.15 $12.15

$26.65 MX$464

-54.41%

Cinema Ticket

$14.79 $14.79

$6.51 MX$113

127.19%

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

$1,719 $1,719

$428 MX$7,454

301.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

128.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.98 $46.98

$57.3 MX$997

-17.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.73 $47.73

$45.50 MX$792

4.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 $97.1

$104 MX$1,812

-6.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$108 MX$1,878

37.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 $1,946

$1,003 MX$17.5K

93.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,817 $1,817

$623 MX$10.8K

191.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,101 $4,101

$2,109 MX$36.7K

94.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 $2,227

$1,218 MX$21.2K

82.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 $2,952

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-24.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,172 $3,172

$2,033 MX$35.4K

56.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,682 $7,682

$1,038 MX$18.1K

640.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

11.34

-42.06%

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

Last update for Ashburn, VA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,946 in Ashburn, VA and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashburn, VA pays 640% 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: $79.0 in Ashburn, VA vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $484 vs $292 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

Ashburn, VA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashburn, VA and Mexico City differ by about 128% in total monthly costs ($3,321 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 640% higher in Ashburn, VA, 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: $1,946 in Ashburn, VA versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,719 in Ashburn, VA versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Ashburn, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $3,321 in Ashburn, VA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Ashburn, VA. 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 128% less than in Ashburn, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.