๐A single person spends $2,346 per month in Bloomington, IN vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $3,189 per month in Bloomington, IN vs $2,342 in Mexico City, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $4,032 per month in Bloomington, IN vs $3,199 in Mexico City, rent included.
๐Bloomington, IN costs about 58% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
๐Both Bloomington, IN and Mexico City sit above the global median โ Bloomington, IN by 74%, Mexico City by 10%.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Bloomington, IN
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.14$15.14
$13.29MX$231
13.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.4$59.4
$53.8MX$933
10.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.81$7.81
$9.29MX$161
-15.93%
Cappuccino
$4.29$4.29
$3.61MX$62.6
18.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15$2.15
$1.56MX$27.03
37.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35$1.35
$1.12MX$19.46
20.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.91$4.91
$3.13MX$54.3
56.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.34$5.34
$4.71MX$81.7
13.38%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Bloomington, IN
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.76$0.76
$1.70MX$29.54
-55.29%
White Bread(500g)
$2.26$2.26
$2.77MX$48.03
-18.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.93$3.93
$1.96MX$34.05
100.51%
Eggs
$3.31$3.31
$2.60MX$45.21
27.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.49$10.49
$9.94MX$173
5.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.53$9.53
$8.10MX$141
17.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.34$15.34
$11.50MX$200
33.39%
Apples(1kg)
$4.30$4.30
$2.87MX$49.84
49.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.31$1.31
$1.73MX$30.07
-24.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.24$2.24
$2.00MX$34.73
12.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.08$4.08
$2.04MX$35.38
100.00%
Potato(1kg)
$2.03$2.03
$2.08MX$36.14
-2.40%
Onion(1kg)
$3.05$3.05
$2.20MX$38.12
38.64%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.74$1.74
$1.45MX$25.24
20.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.40$1.40
$1.07MX$18.63
30.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.30$8.30
$4.27MX$74.2
94.38%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.33$11.33
$14.32MX$249
-20.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88$1.88
$1.76MX$30.62
6.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81$1.81
$3.70MX$64.2
-51.08%
๐ Getting Around
Bloomington, IN
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.98$0.98
$0.35MX$6.12
180.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$30.18$30.18
$19.19MX$333
57.27%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.78$3.78
$1.34MX$23.18
182.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04$1.04
$0.28MX$4.83
271.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.74$17.74
$5.33MX$92.6
232.83%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.80$0.80
$1.34MX$23.27
-40.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K$29.4K
$19.1KMX$332.0K
53.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K$25.4K
$23.9KMX$414.5K
6.35%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bloomington, IN
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$121$121
$39.86MX$692
203.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$56.5$56.5
$26.78MX$465
110.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.2$57.2
$29.36MX$510
94.93%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Bloomington, IN
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.41$39.41
$53.4MX$927
-26.24%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.15$10.15
$26.09MX$453
-61.10%
Cinema Ticket
$11.84$11.84
$6.40MX$111
85.00%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Bloomington, IN
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,535$1,535
$440MX$7,647
248.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.1K$17.1K
$10.8KMX$186.6K
59.45%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Bloomington, IN
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.50$40.50
$57.6MX$1,000
-29.71%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72$40.72
$45.02MX$781
-9.55%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.3$90.3
$104MX$1,801
-12.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103$103
$108MX$1,874
-4.49%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Bloomington, IN
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,581$1,581
$1,013MX$17.6K
56.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,321$1,321
$630MX$10.9K
109.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,229$2,229
$2,162MX$37.5K
3.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,740$1,740
$1,222MX$21.2K
42.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,180$2,180
$3,793MX$65.8K
-42.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,134$2,134
$2,332MX$40.5K
-8.50%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Bloomington, IN
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,636$3,636
$1,075MX$18.7K
238.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.54
11.34
-42.33%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Bloomington, IN: April 13, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $1,581 in Bloomington, IN versus $1,013 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.
๐ฐSalaries run about 238% higher in Bloomington, IN, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $59 in Bloomington, IN versus $54 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $315 vs $285 โ 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
Bloomington, IN vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Bloomington, IN?
Yes โ Bloomington, IN is pricier by about 58%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,519 per month in Bloomington, IN and $2,226 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 57% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,535 per month in Bloomington, IN and $440 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Bloomington, IN or Mexico City?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Bloomington, IN at $2,346. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bloomington, IN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Bloomington, IN or Mexico City more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Mexico City โ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Bloomington, IN or Mexico City?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bloomington, IN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Bloomington, IN vs other spots: cost of living compared