Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,479 in Cambridge versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,546 in Cambridge versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,614 in Cambridge versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 49% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 81% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.18 CA$25.43

$11.92 MX$205

52.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 CA$79.5

$51.6 MX$886

10.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.22 CA$14.30

$11.41 MX$196

-10.43%

Cappuccino

$3.47 CA$4.86

$3.99 MX$68.6

-13.03%

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

$2.07 CA$2.89

$1.66 MX$28.48

24.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$1.33 MX$22.77

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 CA$7.14

$3.47 MX$59.6

46.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 CA$8.57

$5.90 MX$101

3.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CA$3.00

$1.88 MX$32.21

13.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 CA$3.48

$3.25 MX$55.9

-23.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$2.16 MX$37.10

22.22%

Eggs

$3.25 CA$4.55

$2.90 MX$49.72

12.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 CA$15.76

$12.86 MX$221

-12.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 CA$16.28

$10.05 MX$173

15.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 CA$19.96

$15.86 MX$272

-10.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CA$5.32

$3.29 MX$56.6

15.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 CA$1.68

$2.01 MX$34.44

-40.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.94

$2.20 MX$37.76

93.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.45

$2.36 MX$40.44

64.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$2.05 MX$35.27

12.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.71

$1.90 MX$32.64

1.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 CA$3.00

$1.61 MX$27.55

32.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.40 MX$23.98

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.21 CA$18.48

$5.46 MX$93.8

141.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 CA$17.88

$17.65 MX$303

-27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.55

$2.06 MX$35.28

22.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.58

$4.68 MX$80.4

-30.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.60

$0.34 MX$5.81

655.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.2 CA$92.7

$20.81 MX$357

218.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$2.10 MX$35.99

17.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 CA$2.50

$0.56 MX$9.60

217.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.48 CA$32.84

$5.81 MX$99.8

304.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.68

$1.61 MX$27.56

-25.47%

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

$26.5K CA$37.1K

$22.8K MX$392.1K

16.15%

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

$19.3K CA$27.0K

$26.8K MX$459.2K

-27.78%

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

$154 CA$215

$65.2 MX$1,119

135.90%

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

$42.87 CA$60.0

$30.09 MX$517

42.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 CA$70.2

$37.18 MX$638

34.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.22 CA$40.88

$59.8 MX$1,026

-51.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$10.41 CA$14.57

$7.04 MX$121

47.87%

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

$542 CA$758

$465 MX$7,976

16.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K CA$22.7K

$13.3K MX$227.8K

22.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 CA$77.8

$75.9 MX$1,303

-26.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.66 CA$44.30

$56.0 MX$960

-43.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 CA$93.0

$112 MX$1,920

-40.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$149

$121 MX$2,068

-11.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 CA$1,906

$1,103 MX$18.9K

23.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 CA$1,904

$721 MX$12.4K

88.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,584 CA$3,616

$2,530 MX$43.4K

2.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 CA$2,836

$1,293 MX$22.2K

56.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,364 CA$6,105

$3,991 MX$68.5K

9.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,898 CA$5,453

$2,090 MX$35.9K

86.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,082 CA$4,312

$1,037 MX$17.8K

197.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.09

11.3

-54.96%

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

Last update for Cambridge: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,362 in Cambridge and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 197% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $57.0 in Cambridge vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $345 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

Cambridge vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 197% higher in Cambridge, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,362 in Cambridge versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Cambridge. 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 $52.0 versus $57.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,479 in Cambridge, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. 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 Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.