Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens, OH and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens, OH and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,678 in Athens, OH versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,494 in Athens, OH versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Athens, OH versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Athens, OH is roughly 2% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens, OH 22% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 $15.02

$12.11 MX$205

24.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 $50.0

$52.2 MX$883

-4.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 $10.15

$10.90 MX$184

-6.88%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$4.05 MX$68.5

23.95%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$1.72 MX$29.00

35.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.38 MX$23.29

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.47 MX$58.6

43.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$5.81 MX$98.2

18.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 $0.69

$1.85 MX$31.33

-62.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.22 MX$54.5

-32.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.09 MX$35.25

39.71%

Eggs

$4.19 $4.19

$2.91 MX$49.18

43.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 $12.97

$12.49 MX$211

3.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.67 $8.67

$10.11 MX$171

-14.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$15.89 MX$269

2.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.31 MX$56.0

10.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.13 MX$35.95

-54.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.19 MX$37.03

24.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.45 MX$41.37

22.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.19 MX$37.00

-25.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.90 MX$32.20

15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.62 MX$27.31

4.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.35 MX$22.82

42.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.16 $9.16

$5.43 MX$91.7

68.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 $14.84

$17.59 MX$297

-15.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.07 MX$34.96

0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$4.75 MX$80.2

-36.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.34 MX$5.75

191.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.04 MX$34.49

87.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.58 MX$9.77

115.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.21 $25.21

$5.97 MX$101

322.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.62 MX$27.31

-46.30%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$22.8K MX$385.6K

60.01%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.7K MX$450.7K

-2.97%

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

$150 $150

$65.2 MX$1,103

129.49%

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

$29.94 $29.94

$29.87 MX$505

0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.78 $48.78

$36.55 MX$618

33.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 $12.09

$6.85 MX$116

76.50%

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

$1,442 $1,442

$453 MX$7,664

217.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K $19.3K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

44.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.48 $45.48

$75.0 MX$1,267

-39.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 $44.84

$55.3 MX$935

-18.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 $66.2

$114 MX$1,920

-41.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$123 MX$2,073

-10.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 $1,303

$1,134 MX$19.2K

14.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 $699

$712 MX$12.0K

-1.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,468 $1,468

$2,571 MX$43.5K

-42.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 $1,252

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-4.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,649 $1,649

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-58.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,653 $1,653

$2,095 MX$35.4K

-21.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,464 $3,464

$1,047 MX$17.7K

230.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

11.3

-45.04%

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

Last update for Athens, OH: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,303 in Athens, OH and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens, OH pays 231% 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: $50.0 in Athens, OH vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $345 per month, with Athens, OH 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

Athens, OH vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 231% higher in Athens, OH, 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: $1,303 in Athens, OH versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Athens, OH pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,678 per month in Athens, OH versus $1,646 in Mexico City – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,678 in Athens, OH, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Athens, OH. 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 Athens, OH, 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 2% less than in Athens, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.