Cost of Living Comparison Between Billings, MT and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Billings, MT and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,283 per month in Billings, MT vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,476 per month in Billings, MT vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,670 per month in Billings, MT vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Billings, MT costs about 38% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Billings, MT and Mexico City sit above the global median – Billings, MT by 67%, Mexico City by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.34 $26.34

$11.92 MX$206

120.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 $74.2

$51.6 MX$890

43.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.30 $13.30

$11.41 MX$197

16.56%

Cappuccino

$6.36 $6.36

$3.99 MX$68.9

59.40%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$1.66 MX$28.61

45.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.33 MX$22.87

18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.47 MX$59.9

19.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 $4.94

$5.90 MX$102

-16.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.88 MX$32.36

-45.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.25 MX$56.1

4.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.16 MX$37.26

43.06%

Eggs

$3.05 $3.05

$2.90 MX$49.94

5.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 $12.18

$12.86 MX$222

-5.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 $11.48

$10.05 MX$173

14.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.90 $17.90

$15.86 MX$273

12.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.29 MX$56.8

10.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$2.01 MX$34.60

-25.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.20 MX$37.93

35.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.36 MX$40.63

99.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.05 MX$35.43

-44.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.90 MX$32.79

3.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.61 MX$27.68

40.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.40 MX$24.09

5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.34 $9.34

$5.46 MX$94.2

71.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 $10.81

$17.65 MX$304

-38.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.06 MX$35.44

6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 $5.00

$4.68 MX$80.8

6.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.34 MX$5.84

485.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 $27.55

$20.81 MX$359

32.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.10 MX$36.15

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$0.56 MX$9.64

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.9 $58.9

$5.81 MX$100

914.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.61 MX$27.68

-42.86%

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

$33.2K $33.2K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

45.21%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-11.77%

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

$170 $170

$65.2 MX$1,124

160.91%

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

$48.84 $48.84

$30.09 MX$519

62.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.3 $83.3

$37.18 MX$641

124.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.63 $48.63

$59.8 MX$1,030

-18.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 $15.14

$26.55 MX$458

-42.98%

Cinema Ticket

$13.88 $13.88

$7.04 MX$121

97.16%

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

$1,069 $1,069

$465 MX$8,012

130.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.1K $19.1K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

44.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 $59.6

$75.9 MX$1,308

-21.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 $66.4

$56.0 MX$965

18.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$112 MX$1,929

-13.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$121 MX$2,078

2.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 $1,191

$1,103 MX$19.0K

8.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 $927

$721 MX$12.4K

28.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 $2,029

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-19.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 $1,762

$1,293 MX$22.3K

36.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,360 $2,360

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-40.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 $2,090

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-0.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,892 $3,892

$1,037 MX$17.9K

275.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

11.3

-46.02%

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

Last update for Billings, MT: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,191 in Billings, MT 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 275% higher in Billings, MT, 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 Billings, MT versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 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

Billings, MT vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Billings, MT costs about 38% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,424 per month in Billings, MT 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 32% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,069 per month in Billings, MT 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 Billings, MT at $2,283. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Billings, MT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,660 versus $2,283 in Billings, MT. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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