Cost of Living Comparison Between Big Rapids, MI and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Big Rapids, MI and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,920 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,803 in Big Rapids, MI versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,686 in Big Rapids, MI versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Big Rapids, MI is roughly 15% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Big Rapids, MI 39% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.58 $18.58

$12.14 MX$206

53.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$53.9 MX$914

9.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 $8.04

$11.09 MX$188

-27.50%

Cappuccino

$5.33 $5.33

$4.10 MX$69.5

30.00%

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

$2.87 $2.87

$1.68 MX$28.53

70.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.39 MX$23.55

54.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 $6.35

$3.33 MX$56.5

90.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.78 $7.78

$5.88 MX$99.7

32.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.85 MX$31.41

-55.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.17 MX$53.8

5.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.07 MX$35.13

4.83%

Eggs

$3.71 $3.71

$2.93 MX$49.67

26.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.97 $16.97

$12.59 MX$214

34.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.38 $13.38

$10.11 MX$172

32.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$16.09 MX$273

-7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.39 MX$57.5

-0.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 $0.58

$2.08 MX$35.26

-72.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.12 MX$35.97

73.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.41 MX$40.95

89.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.13 MX$36.11

7.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.01 MX$34.02

35.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.55 MX$26.21

47.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.36 MX$23.15

44.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.09 $10.09

$5.77 MX$97.8

74.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 $13.76

$17.74 MX$301

-22.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.07 MX$35.11

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$4.61 MX$78.3

-35.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.37 MX$6.21

435.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.82 $23.82

$21.18 MX$359

12.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.05 MX$34.84

45.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$0.58 MX$9.79

170.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.91 $25.91

$6.07 MX$103

326.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.55 MX$26.34

-30.97%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

52.58%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-12.86%

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

$199 $199

$67.4 MX$1,144

194.56%

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

$58.4 $58.4

$30.62 MX$520

90.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$37.24 MX$632

92.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.56 $35.56

$61.5 MX$1,043

-42.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$13.26 $13.26

$7.11 MX$121

86.50%

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

$2,056 $2,056

$456 MX$7,739

350.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K $20.2K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

47.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 $56.6

$74.2 MX$1,259

-23.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.68 $35.68

$57.0 MX$967

-37.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 $86.0

$115 MX$1,958

-25.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$122 MX$2,061

-13.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 $884

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-22.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 $680

$709 MX$12.0K

-4.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 $1,579

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-38.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 $1,039

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-19.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,048 $3,048

$4,005 MX$67.9K

-23.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,212 $2,212

$2,130 MX$36.1K

3.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

11.3

-49.73%

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

Last update for Big Rapids, MI: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $884 in Big Rapids, MI and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Big Rapids, MI vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $345 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

Big Rapids, MI vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,880 in Big Rapids, MI and $2,515 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: $884 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Big Rapids, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $59.0 in Big Rapids, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,920 in Big Rapids, MI, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Big Rapids, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Big Rapids, MI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Big Rapids, MI and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Big Rapids, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.