Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, NC and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, NC and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,568 per month in Burlington, NC vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,724 per month in Burlington, NC vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,881 per month in Burlington, NC vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Burlington, NC costs about 75% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Burlington, NC and Mexico City sit above the global median – Burlington, NC by 92%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.28 $19.28

$13.18 MX$230

46.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.3 $76.3

$53.9 MX$941

41.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 $11.14

$9.42 MX$165

18.26%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$3.55 MX$62.0

43.66%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$1.62 MX$28.25

58.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.11 MX$19.46

85.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$3.12 MX$54.5

95.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.85 $6.85

$4.63 MX$80.9

47.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.70 MX$29.71

-41.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.72 MX$47.47

30.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.91 MX$33.39

130.37%

Eggs

$4.04 $4.04

$2.54 MX$44.29

59.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.03 MX$175

21.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.28 $11.28

$8.09 MX$141

39.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.26 $15.26

$11.62 MX$203

31.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.97 MX$51.8

61.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.81 MX$31.55

-13.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.01 MX$35.16

116.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$2.03 MX$35.54

130.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.12 MX$37.10

35.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.27 MX$39.63

25.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.40 MX$24.45

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.13 MX$19.74

93.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.57 $9.57

$4.27 MX$74.6

124.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 $13.75

$15.56 MX$272

-11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.76 MX$30.68

5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.60 MX$62.8

-9.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.38 MX$6.69

436.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$335

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.38 MX$24.03

151.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.28 MX$4.83

485.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.36 $29.36

$5.45 MX$95.1

438.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.30 MX$22.77

-36.15%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$18.7K MX$326.4K

57.54%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$23.1K MX$404.0K

11.61%

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

$187 $187

$40.86 MX$714

357.54%

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

$53.7 $53.7

$26.81 MX$468

100.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$29.96 MX$523

125.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.34 $42.34

$52.0 MX$908

-18.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$13.55 $13.55

$6.30 MX$110

115.08%

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

$1,280 $1,280

$436 MX$7,617

193.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$10.4K MX$181.9K

125.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 $51.2

$56.7 MX$989

-9.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.44 $40.44

$44.38 MX$775

-8.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$103 MX$1,798

-17.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$106 MX$1,843

7.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 $1,605

$1,022 MX$17.8K

57.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 $1,349

$631 MX$11.0K

113.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,649 $2,649

$2,136 MX$37.3K

24.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,264 $2,264

$1,243 MX$21.7K

82.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,808 $2,808

$3,903 MX$68.2K

-28.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,487 $2,487

$2,064 MX$36.1K

20.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.34

-42.59%

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

Last update for Burlington, NC: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,605 in Burlington, NC versus $1,022 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Burlington, NC versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $288 – 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

Burlington, NC vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,568 in Burlington, NC, $1,467 in Mexico City – roughly 75% apart. Burlington, NC costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,851 per month in Burlington, NC and $2,201 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,568 in Burlington, NC and $1,467 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,280 per month in Burlington, NC and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Burlington, NC at $2,568. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burlington, NC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,467 in Mexico City to $2,568 in Burlington, NC. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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