Cost of Living Comparison Between Atlanta, GA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Atlanta, GA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,991 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,251 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,512 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Atlanta, GA costs about 104% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Atlanta, GA and Mexico City sit above the global median – Atlanta, GA by 123%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.90 $20.90

$13.18 MX$228

58.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.3 $90.3

$53.9 MX$934

67.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$9.42 MX$163

25.90%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$3.55 MX$61.5

41.69%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$1.62 MX$28.03

61.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.11 MX$19.31

106.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 $5.94

$3.12 MX$54.1

90.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$4.63 MX$80.2

73.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.70 MX$29.48

-41.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.72 MX$47.10

40.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$1.91 MX$33.13

185.34%

Eggs

$4.06 $4.06

$2.54 MX$43.94

59.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 $13.35

$10.03 MX$174

33.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.87 $15.87

$8.09 MX$140

96.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.05 $17.05

$11.62 MX$201

46.73%

Apples (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$2.97 MX$51.4

143.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.81 MX$31.30

-16.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.82 $6.82

$2.01 MX$34.88

239.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$2.03 MX$35.26

189.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.12 MX$36.82

55.19%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.27 MX$39.32

44.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.40 MX$24.26

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.13 MX$19.59

169.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.28 $7.28

$4.27 MX$74.0

70.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$15.56 MX$270

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.76 MX$30.44

101.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 $5.49

$3.60 MX$62.3

52.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.38 MX$6.64

550.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.5 $93.5

$19.18 MX$332

387.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.38 MX$23.84

147.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.28 MX$4.79

439.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.99 $23.99

$5.45 MX$94.4

340.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.30 MX$22.60

-33.08%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$18.7K MX$323.8K

91.56%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$23.1K MX$400.8K

11.52%

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

$196 $196

$40.86 MX$708

380.71%

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

$56.4 $56.4

$26.81 MX$465

110.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.5 $73.5

$29.96 MX$519

145.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 $45.78

$52.0 MX$901

-12.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.84 $9.84

$26.84 MX$465

-63.34%

Cinema Ticket

$16.14 $16.14

$6.30 MX$109

156.19%

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

$1,246 $1,246

$436 MX$7,558

185.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K $25.8K

$10.4K MX$180.5K

148.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$56.7 MX$982

-8.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.72 $39.72

$44.38 MX$769

-10.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 $98.9

$103 MX$1,784

-3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$106 MX$1,829

5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 $1,790

$1,022 MX$17.7K

75.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 $1,500

$631 MX$10.9K

137.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,094 $3,094

$2,136 MX$37.0K

44.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,311 $2,311

$1,243 MX$21.5K

85.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,821 $3,821

$3,903 MX$67.6K

-2.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,660 $2,660

$2,064 MX$35.8K

28.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,346 $5,346

$1,115 MX$19.3K

379.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.34

-42.33%

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

Last update for Atlanta, GA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,790 in Atlanta, GA versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 379% higher in Atlanta, GA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Atlanta, GA versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $481 vs $288 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Atlanta, GA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Atlanta, GA is pricier by about 104%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,486 per month in Atlanta, GA and $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% more in Atlanta, GA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Atlanta, GA and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Atlanta, GA at $2,991. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Atlanta, GA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Atlanta, GA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.