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: $2,448 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,576 in Big Rapids, MI versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,704 in Big Rapids, MI versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Big Rapids, MI is roughly 67% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Big Rapids, MI 83% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.69 $15.69

$13.30 MX$231

17.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 $74.3

$53.8 MX$932

38.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 $7.92

$9.42 MX$163

-15.92%

Cappuccino

$4.63 $4.63

$3.59 MX$62.3

28.97%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$1.62 MX$28.13

59.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.12 MX$19.49

89.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$3.25 MX$56.3

88.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.65 MX$80.6

30.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.64 MX$28.37

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.65 MX$46.00

20.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.96 MX$33.99

10.71%

Eggs

$2.62 $2.62

$2.54 MX$44.08

3.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.61 $16.61

$9.97 MX$173

66.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$8.39 MX$145

18.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 $14.00

$11.83 MX$205

18.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.86 MX$49.62

19.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 $0.62

$1.73 MX$30.05

-64.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$1.99 MX$34.50

129.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$2.05 MX$35.51

154.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.06 MX$35.64

10.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.28 MX$39.54

19.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.45 MX$25.05

16.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.09 MX$18.83

101.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.85 $9.85

$4.27 MX$73.9

130.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 $13.52

$14.67 MX$254

-7.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.76 MX$30.58

17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.57 MX$61.8

-18.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.38 MX$6.67

428.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.78 $23.78

$18.73 MX$325

26.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.39 MX$24.09

120.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.30 MX$5.26

403.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.11 $26.11

$5.41 MX$93.8

382.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.34 MX$23.22

-32.84%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

38.54%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

2.17%

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

$160 $160

$40.30 MX$698

297.89%

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

$48.09 $48.09

$27.15 MX$471

77.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$29.46 MX$510

129.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.15 $43.15

$52.7 MX$914

-18.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$12.42 $12.42

$6.18 MX$107

100.97%

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

$1,900 $1,900

$441 MX$7,637

331.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K $20.0K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

86.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 $55.0

$57.2 MX$992

-3.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.67 $35.67

$45.04 MX$781

-20.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 $84.5

$103 MX$1,793

-18.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$109 MX$1,884

-6.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$1,000 MX$17.3K

58.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 $1,339

$632 MX$11.0K

111.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$2,141 MX$37.1K

22.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,265 $2,265

$1,253 MX$21.7K

80.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,372 $2,372

$3,745 MX$64.9K

-36.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,379 $2,379

$2,381 MX$41.3K

-0.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

11.34

-49.91%

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

Last update for Big Rapids, MI: April 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,584 in Big Rapids, MI and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74 in Big Rapids, MI vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $286 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,673 in Big Rapids, MI and $2,199 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: $1,584 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% 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 $74.0 in Big Rapids, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $2,448 in Big Rapids, MI, a $2,000 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 67% less than in Big Rapids, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.