Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnstable, MA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnstable, MA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,442 in Barnstable, MA versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,554 in Barnstable, MA versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,666 in Barnstable, MA versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Barnstable, MA is roughly 67% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barnstable, MA 82% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.40 $20.40

$13.30 MX$231

53.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 $65.2

$53.8 MX$932

21.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 $9.83

$9.42 MX$163

4.35%

Cappuccino

$4.10 $4.10

$3.59 MX$62.3

14.21%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$1.62 MX$28.13

26.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.12 MX$19.49

55.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$3.25 MX$56.3

54.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 $6.66

$4.65 MX$80.6

43.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.64 MX$28.37

-41.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.65 MX$46.00

9.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.96 MX$33.99

115.82%

Eggs

$3.82 $3.82

$2.54 MX$44.08

50.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$9.97 MX$173

-32.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.97 $8.97

$8.39 MX$145

6.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.77 $8.77

$11.83 MX$205

-25.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.86 MX$49.62

34.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.73 MX$30.05

-16.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.99 MX$34.50

88.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.05 MX$35.51

76.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.06 MX$35.64

2.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.28 MX$39.54

-3.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.45 MX$25.05

33.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.09 MX$18.83

53.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.02 $12.02

$4.27 MX$73.9

181.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 $12.85

$14.67 MX$254

-12.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.76 MX$30.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.57 MX$61.8

-6.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.38 MX$6.67

439.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.39 MX$24.09

111.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.30 MX$5.26

486.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$5.41 MX$93.8

446.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.34 MX$23.22

-35.82%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

85.00%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

5.04%

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

$100 $100

$40.30 MX$698

148.98%

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

$52.5 $52.5

$27.15 MX$471

93.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 $66.4

$29.46 MX$510

125.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.29 $43.29

$52.7 MX$914

-17.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$14.10 $14.10

$6.18 MX$107

128.16%

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

$1,743 $1,743

$441 MX$7,637

295.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.0K $30.0K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

180.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.53 $47.53

$57.2 MX$992

-16.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 $34.57

$45.04 MX$781

-23.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 $87.3

$103 MX$1,793

-15.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 $157

$109 MX$1,884

44.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 $1,576

$1,000 MX$17.3K

57.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 $1,366

$632 MX$11.0K

116.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,642 $2,642

$2,141 MX$37.1K

23.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,186 $2,186

$1,253 MX$21.7K

74.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,984 $2,984

$3,745 MX$64.9K

-20.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,448 $2,448

$2,381 MX$41.3K

2.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

11.34

-41.80%

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

Last update for Barnstable, MA: April 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,576 in Barnstable, MA and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65 in Barnstable, MA vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $286 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

Barnstable, MA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barnstable, MA and Mexico City differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($2,442 vs $1,466 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,663 in Barnstable, MA and $2,199 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,576 in Barnstable, MA versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Barnstable, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,442 per month in Barnstable, MA versus $1,466 in Mexico City – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $2,442 in Barnstable, MA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Barnstable, MA. 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 67% less than in Barnstable, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.