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 $2,794 per month in Barrington, IL vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,039 per month in Barrington, IL vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,284 per month in Barrington, IL vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Barrington, IL costs about 68% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Barrington, IL and Mexico City sit above the global median – Barrington, IL by 104%, Mexico City by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$11.92 MX$205

65.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$51.6 MX$889

42.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.31 $11.31

$11.41 MX$197

-0.88%

Cappuccino

$5.26 $5.26

$3.99 MX$68.8

31.83%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$1.66 MX$28.57

58.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.33 MX$22.84

52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$3.47 MX$59.8

74.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 $7.20

$5.90 MX$102

22.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.88 MX$32.31

-40.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.81 $3.81

$3.25 MX$56.0

17.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.16 MX$37.21

96.76%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.90 MX$49.87

42.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.50 $15.50

$12.86 MX$221

20.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.87 $10.87

$10.05 MX$173

8.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 $17.28

$15.86 MX$273

8.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$3.29 MX$56.7

76.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.01 MX$34.55

-0.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.20 MX$37.88

75.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.02 $7.02

$2.36 MX$40.57

197.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.05 MX$35.38

38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.90 MX$32.75

16.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.61 MX$27.64

15.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.40 MX$24.05

57.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 $10.07

$5.46 MX$94.1

84.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.14 $17.14

$17.65 MX$304

-2.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.06 MX$35.39

2.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$4.68 MX$80.7

-27.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.34 MX$5.83

494.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$119 $119

$20.81 MX$358

471.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.10 MX$36.11

62.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.56 MX$9.63

250.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.30 $27.30

$5.81 MX$100

369.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.61 MX$27.65

-33.54%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$22.8K MX$393.3K

59.30%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.8K MX$460.6K

-3.48%

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

$231 $231

$65.2 MX$1,122

255.02%

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

$49.12 $49.12

$30.09 MX$518

63.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 $59.1

$37.18 MX$640

59.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 $66.0

$59.8 MX$1,029

10.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.22 $15.22

$26.55 MX$457

-42.67%

Cinema Ticket

$14.41 $14.41

$7.04 MX$121

104.69%

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

$1,441 $1,441

$465 MX$8,001

210.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.5K $27.5K

$13.3K MX$228.6K

107.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 $51.6

$75.9 MX$1,307

-32.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 $42.32

$56.0 MX$963

-24.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 $87.6

$112 MX$1,926

-21.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$121 MX$2,075

-4.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 $1,582

$1,103 MX$19.0K

43.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 $1,491

$721 MX$12.4K

106.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,491 $2,491

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-1.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 $2,148

$1,293 MX$22.3K

66.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,316 $2,316

$3,991 MX$68.7K

-41.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,268 $2,268

$2,090 MX$36.0K

8.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,758 $5,758

$1,037 MX$17.9K

455.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

11.3

-45.84%

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

Last update for Barrington, IL: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,582 in Barrington, IL versus $1,103 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 455% 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 $74.0 in Barrington, IL versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $426 vs $345 – 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 68% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,191 per month in Barrington, IL and $2,489 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 471% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,441 per month in Barrington, IL and $465 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,660, than in Barrington, IL at $2,794. 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 $1,660 versus $2,794 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.