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: $2,354 in Barnstable, MA versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,517 in Barnstable, MA versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,680 in Barnstable, MA versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Barnstable, MA is roughly 43% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barnstable, MA 71% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.04 $18.04

$12.11 MX$204

48.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 $75.8

$52.2 MX$881

45.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 $10.03

$10.90 MX$184

-7.98%

Cappuccino

$3.94 $3.94

$4.05 MX$68.4

-2.72%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$1.72 MX$28.95

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.38 MX$23.25

19.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.47 MX$58.5

42.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$5.81 MX$98.1

19.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.85 MX$31.28

-41.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.22 MX$54.4

-8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.09 MX$35.20

101.91%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.91 MX$49.10

43.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$12.49 MX$211

-48.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.61 $8.61

$10.11 MX$171

-14.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 $8.79

$15.89 MX$268

-44.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.31 MX$56.0

24.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.13 MX$35.90

-19.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.19 MX$36.97

105.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.45 MX$41.31

44.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.19 MX$36.95

-1.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.90 MX$32.15

12.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.62 MX$27.26

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.35 MX$22.78

85.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.47 $12.47

$5.43 MX$91.6

129.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 $13.10

$17.59 MX$297

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.07 MX$34.90

3.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 $4.07

$4.75 MX$80.1

-14.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.34 MX$5.74

500.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.13 $35.13

$21.58 MX$364

62.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.04 MX$34.44

72.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.56 $3.56

$0.58 MX$9.75

513.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.33 $26.33

$5.97 MX$101

341.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.62 MX$27.27

-41.36%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

63.50%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

-11.52%

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

$98.1 $98.1

$65.2 MX$1,101

50.41%

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

$59.1 $59.1

$29.87 MX$504

97.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 $64.8

$36.55 MX$617

77.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 $41.02

$61.0 MX$1,030

-32.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.54 $23.54

$26.70 MX$451

-11.84%

Cinema Ticket

$13.81 $13.81

$6.85 MX$116

101.61%

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

$1,827 $1,827

$453 MX$7,652

303.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K $30.5K

$13.4K MX$225.7K

127.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 $56.3

$75.0 MX$1,265

-24.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.67 $37.67

$55.3 MX$933

-31.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 $81.2

$114 MX$1,917

-28.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 $99.5

$123 MX$2,070

-18.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,134 MX$19.1K

40.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$712 MX$12.0K

78.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 $2,489

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-3.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 $2,148

$1,311 MX$22.1K

63.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,720 $2,720

$3,993 MX$67.4K

-31.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,405 $2,405

$2,095 MX$35.4K

14.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,709 $4,709

$1,047 MX$17.7K

349.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.04

11.3

-46.55%

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

Last update for Barnstable, MA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,590 in Barnstable, MA and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnstable, MA pays 350% 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: $76.0 in Barnstable, MA vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $323 vs $345, with Barnstable, MA cheaper for home cooking.

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 43% in total monthly costs ($2,354 vs $1,646 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 350% higher in Barnstable, MA, 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: $1,590 in Barnstable, MA versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 63% less than in Barnstable, MA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,827 in Barnstable, MA versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $2,354 in Barnstable, MA, a $3,000 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 43% less than in Barnstable, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.