Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrington, IL and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrington, IL and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,768 per month in Barrington, IL vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,019 per month in Barrington, IL vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,271 per month in Barrington, IL vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Barrington, IL costs about 87% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barrington, IL and Mexico City sit above the global median – Barrington, IL by 107%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 $18.76

$12.98 MX$227

44.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 $75.8

$53.1 MX$929

42.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.19 $11.19

$9.72 MX$170

15.12%

Cappuccino

$5.18 $5.18

$3.75 MX$65.6

38.13%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$1.57 MX$27.46

65.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.13 MX$19.76

72.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$3.18 MX$55.7

85.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$4.66 MX$81.6

47.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.62 MX$28.37

-31.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.71 MX$47.36

42.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.88 MX$32.89

128.72%

Eggs

$4.21 $4.21

$2.51 MX$43.90

67.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.54 $15.54

$10.08 MX$176

54.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 $11.14

$8.29 MX$145

34.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.58 $15.58

$11.94 MX$209

30.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$2.86 MX$50.1

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.75 MX$30.62

13.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.08 MX$36.48

106.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.82 $6.82

$1.97 MX$34.46

246.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.16 MX$37.79

29.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.18 MX$38.16

2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.39 MX$24.34

47.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.12 MX$19.69

88.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.40 $9.40

$4.20 MX$73.5

123.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.90 $16.90

$14.25 MX$249

18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.76 MX$30.85

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.68 MX$64.5

-11.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.39 MX$6.74

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$119 $119

$18.66 MX$327

537.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.39 MX$24.26

146.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.30 MX$5.32

426.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.47 $29.47

$5.42 MX$94.9

443.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.35 MX$23.63

-24.44%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$18.9K MX$330.5K

57.53%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$23.2K MX$405.2K

12.49%

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

$234 $234

$40.82 MX$714

472.29%

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

$48.94 $48.94

$27.50 MX$481

77.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 $58.9

$30.38 MX$532

93.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.4 $65.4

$53.4 MX$935

22.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.98 $14.98

$26.30 MX$460

-43.04%

Cinema Ticket

$14.32 $14.32

$6.27 MX$110

128.39%

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

$1,475 $1,475

$436 MX$7,632

238.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.5K $26.5K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

153.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$56.8 MX$993

-11.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 $40.26

$44.79 MX$784

-10.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 $86.2

$103 MX$1,799

-16.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$108 MX$1,888

3.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,622 $1,622

$1,000 MX$17.5K

62.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 $1,359

$620 MX$10.9K

119.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,601 $2,601

$2,137 MX$37.4K

21.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,219 $2,219

$1,235 MX$21.6K

79.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,323 $2,323

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-39.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,213 $2,213

$2,332 MX$40.8K

-5.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,753 $5,753

$1,067 MX$18.7K

439.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.34

-42.59%

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

Last update for Barrington, IL: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,622 in Barrington, IL versus $1,000 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 439% higher in Barrington, IL, 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 $76.0 in Barrington, IL versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $286 – 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

Barrington, IL vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barrington, IL costs about 87% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,152 per month in Barrington, IL and $2,225 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.

Public transport costs about 537% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,475 per month in Barrington, IL and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Barrington, IL at $2,768. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barrington, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,484 versus $2,768 in Barrington, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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