Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellingham, WA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellingham, WA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,794 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $1,466 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,183 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $2,325 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,572 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $3,184 in Mexico City, rent included.

Bellingham, WA costs about 91% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bellingham, WA and Mexico City sit above the global median – Bellingham, WA by 109%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.12 $20.12

$13.30 MX$231

51.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 $86.5

$53.8 MX$932

60.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.16 $13.16

$9.42 MX$163

39.70%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$3.59 MX$62.3

44.85%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$1.62 MX$28.13

56.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.12 MX$19.49

79.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.01 $7.01

$3.25 MX$56.3

115.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 $5.88

$4.65 MX$80.6

26.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.64 MX$28.37

-39.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.65 MX$46.00

38.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.96 MX$33.99

115.82%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.54 MX$44.08

70.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 $17.09

$9.97 MX$173

71.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.77 $15.77

$8.39 MX$145

87.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.20 $15.20

$11.83 MX$205

28.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$2.86 MX$49.62

102.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.73 MX$30.05

-9.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$1.99 MX$34.50

114.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.05 MX$35.51

154.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.06 MX$35.64

42.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.28 MX$39.54

-3.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.45 MX$25.05

44.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.09 MX$18.83

132.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.44 $12.44

$4.27 MX$73.9

191.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$14.67 MX$254

4.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.76 MX$30.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 $4.79

$3.57 MX$61.8

34.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.38 MX$6.67

157.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 $30.34

$18.73 MX$325

61.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.90 $9.90

$1.39 MX$24.09

612.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.30 MX$5.26

473.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.1 $53.1

$5.41 MX$93.8

880.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.34 MX$23.22

-13.43%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

82.38%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

12.01%

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

$180 $180

$40.30 MX$698

346.03%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$27.15 MX$471

92.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 $74.8

$29.46 MX$510

153.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.1 $68.1

$52.7 MX$914

29.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$18.35 $18.35

$6.18 MX$107

196.93%

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

$1,445 $1,445

$441 MX$7,637

227.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

122.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 $52.2

$57.2 MX$992

-8.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.95 $27.95

$45.04 MX$781

-37.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 $96.7

$103 MX$1,793

-6.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$109 MX$1,884

36.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 $1,697

$1,000 MX$17.3K

69.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 $1,441

$632 MX$11.0K

128.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,732 $2,732

$2,141 MX$37.1K

27.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,448 $2,448

$1,253 MX$21.7K

95.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,994 $3,994

$3,745 MX$64.9K

6.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,075 $4,075

$2,381 MX$41.3K

71.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,156 $4,156

$1,079 MX$18.7K

285.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

11.34

-41.71%

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

Last update for Bellingham, WA: April 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,697 in Bellingham, WA 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 285% higher in Bellingham, WA, 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 $87 in Bellingham, WA versus $54 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 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

Bellingham, WA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bellingham, WA costs about 91% 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 $4,191 per month in Bellingham, WA and $2,199 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,445 per month in Bellingham, WA and $441 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Bellingham, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,466, than in Bellingham, WA at $2,794. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bellingham, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,466 versus $2,794 in Bellingham, WA. 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, Bellingham, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.