Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakersfield, CA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakersfield, CA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,081 in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,378 in Bakersfield, CA versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,675 in Bakersfield, CA versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Bakersfield, CA is roughly 86% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bakersfield, CA 125% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.69 $18.69

$11.92 MX$206

56.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.7 $64.7

$51.6 MX$890

25.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.22 $14.22

$11.41 MX$197

24.63%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$3.99 MX$68.9

45.61%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$1.66 MX$28.61

63.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.33 MX$22.87

45.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 $6.01

$3.47 MX$59.9

73.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.88 MX$32.36

-40.43%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.25 MX$56.1

26.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$2.16 MX$37.26

142.13%

Eggs

$3.40 $3.40

$2.90 MX$49.94

17.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$12.86 MX$222

0.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.30 $13.30

$10.05 MX$173

32.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.10 $16.10

$15.86 MX$273

1.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.29 MX$56.8

20.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.01 MX$34.60

-0.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.20 MX$37.93

81.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.36 MX$40.63

68.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.05 MX$35.43

2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.90 MX$32.79

28.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.61 MX$27.68

26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.40 MX$24.09

77.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$5.46 MX$94.2

79.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.65 MX$304

2.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.06 MX$35.44

-4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 $4.79

$4.68 MX$80.8

2.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.34 MX$5.84

388.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.2 $56.2

$20.81 MX$359

169.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.10 MX$36.15

39.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$0.56 MX$9.64

276.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.61 MX$27.68

-8.70%

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

$36.9K $36.9K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

61.54%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

1.70%

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

$391 $391

$65.2 MX$1,124

500.14%

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

$58.7 $58.7

$30.09 MX$519

95.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.5 $73.5

$37.18 MX$641

97.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.46 $39.46

$59.8 MX$1,030

-33.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.52 $24.52

$26.55 MX$458

-7.65%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$7.04 MX$121

110.65%

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

$1,521 $1,521

$465 MX$8,012

227.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 $62.1

$75.9 MX$1,308

-18.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.32 $48.32

$56.0 MX$965

-13.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 $99.6

$112 MX$1,929

-11.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$121 MX$2,078

1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 $1,701

$1,103 MX$19.0K

54.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 $1,561

$721 MX$12.4K

116.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,395 $2,395

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-5.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 $2,427

$1,293 MX$22.3K

87.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,491 $2,491

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-37.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,514 $2,514

$2,090 MX$36.0K

20.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,660 $3,660

$1,037 MX$17.9K

252.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

11.3

-43.72%

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

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,701 in Bakersfield, CA and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bakersfield, CA pays 253% 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: $65.0 in Bakersfield, CA vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $345 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

Bakersfield, CA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 253% higher in Bakersfield, CA, 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: $1,701 in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $65.0 in Bakersfield, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,081 per month in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,660 in Mexico City – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $3,081 in Bakersfield, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Bakersfield, CA. 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 Bakersfield, CA, 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 86% less than in Bakersfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.