Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brookhaven, NY and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $2,722 in Brookhaven, NY, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Brookhaven, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,722
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brookhaven, NY and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brookhaven, NY and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,722 in Brookhaven, NY versus $1,548 in Mexico City.

  • Brookhaven, NY $2,722
  • Mexico City $1,548

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,065 in Brookhaven, NY versus $2,436 in Mexico City.

  • Brookhaven, NY $4,065
  • Mexico City $2,436

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,408 in Brookhaven, NY versus $3,323 in Mexico City.

  • Brookhaven, NY $5,408
  • Mexico City $3,323

Living in Brookhaven, NY is roughly 76% more expensive than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brookhaven, NY 101% above, Mexico City 14% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brookhaven, NY
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.74 $24.74
$11.02 MX$204
124.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.9 $98.9
$48.68 MX$900
103.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.20 $11.20
$10.90 MX$201
2.75%
Cappuccino
$5.35 $5.35
$3.68 MX$68.1
45.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 $2.24
$1.63 MX$30.18
37.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.25 MX$23.07
23.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.01 $8.01
$3.25 MX$60.1
146.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.20 $8.20
$5.53 MX$102
48.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brookhaven, NY
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 $1.26
$1.70 MX$31.50
-25.88%
White Bread (500g)
$4.31 $4.31
$3.02 MX$55.8
42.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.76 $7.76
$1.92 MX$35.53
304.17%
Eggs
$5.75 $5.75
$2.73 MX$50.5
110.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.61 $12.61
$11.77 MX$218
7.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.62 $11.62
$9.53 MX$176
21.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.07 $17.07
$14.41 MX$266
18.46%
Apples (1kg)
$5.54 $5.54
$3.02 MX$55.8
83.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 $1.73
$1.89 MX$35.01
-8.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.16 $6.16
$1.99 MX$36.70
209.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.14 $6.14
$2.19 MX$40.38
180.37%
Potato (1kg)
$5.47 $5.47
$1.92 MX$35.43
184.90%
Onion (1kg)
$3.77 $3.77
$1.87 MX$34.49
101.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.79 $2.79
$1.44 MX$26.62
93.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.94 $2.94
$1.27 MX$23.39
131.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.50 $11.50
$5.22 MX$96.4
120.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.08 $24.08
$16.17 MX$299
48.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.90 MX$35.03
-10.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.49 $5.49
$4.22 MX$78.0
30.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Brookhaven, NY
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.86 $1.86
$0.34 MX$6.30
447.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.65 MX$363
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.93 $2.93
$2.00 MX$36.90
46.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.03 $2.03
$0.52 MX$9.67
290.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.54 $23.54
$5.34 MX$98.7
340.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 $1.10
$1.52 MX$28.13
-27.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K $27.6K
$22.1K MX$408.0K
24.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$24.5K MX$452.9K
8.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brookhaven, NY
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$211 $211
$61.1 MX$1,129
245.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$75.6 $75.6
$28.58 MX$528
164.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.3 $64.3
$34.47 MX$637
86.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brookhaven, NY
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.96 $40.96
$56.4 MX$1,042
-27.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.88 MX$460
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.76 $14.76
$6.66 MX$123
121.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brookhaven, NY
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,237 $2,237
$427 MX$7,891
423.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.6K $23.6K
$11.6K MX$215.0K
102.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brookhaven, NY
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.13 $41.13
$67.8 MX$1,253
-39.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.5 $56.5
$52.0 MX$960
8.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.1 $76.1
$106 MX$1,959
-28.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$158 $158
$113 MX$2,080
40.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brookhaven, NY
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,587 $1,587
$1,025 MX$18.9K
54.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,275 $1,275
$654 MX$12.1K
94.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,527 $2,527
$2,308 MX$42.7K
9.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,118 $2,118
$1,242 MX$22.9K
70.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,099 $3,099
$3,613 MX$66.8K
-14.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,127 $2,127
$1,936 MX$35.8K
9.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brookhaven, NY
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$964 MX$17.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
11.3
-40.27%

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

Last update for Brookhaven, NY: October 18, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brookhaven, NY
$1.3K
Mexico City
$654 48.7% $621
Groceries & Markets
Brookhaven, NY
$489
Mexico City
$318 34.9% $170
Eating Out
Brookhaven, NY
$367
Mexico City
$204 44.5% $163
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brookhaven, NY
$351
Mexico City
$124 64.6% $227
Clothing & Footwear
Brookhaven, NY
$149
Mexico City
$152 2% $2.9
Sport & Entertainment
Brookhaven, NY
$70
Mexico City
$70 1.1% $0.8
Getting Around
Brookhaven, NY
$21 *
Mexico City
$26 25% $5.1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,587 in Brookhaven, NY and $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Brookhaven, NY vs $49.00 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $489 vs $318 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Brookhaven, NY
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
09:58 9:58 AM
07:58 7:58 AM
2 h behind Brookhaven, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,674
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brookhaven, NY Mexico City 3,440 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Brookhaven, NY
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Brookhaven, NY vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Brookhaven, NY?
Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $4,083 in Brookhaven, NY and $2,322 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.
What is the rent difference between Brookhaven, NY and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,587 in Brookhaven, NY versus $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Brookhaven, NY and in Mexico City?
Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Brookhaven, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Brookhaven, NY and in Mexico City?
All in, you'll spend $2,722 per month in Brookhaven, NY versus $1,548 in Mexico City – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Brookhaven, NY or in Mexico City?
At $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,722 in Brookhaven, NY, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Brookhaven, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Brookhaven, NY or Mexico City more family-friendly?
For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Brookhaven, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Brookhaven, NY or Mexico City?
Safety-wise, Brookhaven, NY 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Brookhaven, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Brookhaven, NY vs other spots: cost of living compared

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