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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,414 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,700 in Cambridge, MA versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,986 in Cambridge, MA versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Cambridge, MA is roughly 201% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge, MA 229% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 $17.08

$13.18 MX$228

29.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.4 $98.4

$53.9 MX$932

82.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$9.42 MX$163

28.45%

Cappuccino

$5.51 $5.51

$3.55 MX$61.4

55.21%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$1.62 MX$27.98

89.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.11 MX$19.27

111.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$3.12 MX$54.0

160.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 $7.98

$4.63 MX$80.1

72.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.70 MX$29.43

-35.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.72 MX$47.02

49.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.53 $6.53

$1.91 MX$33.07

241.88%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$2.54 MX$43.86

88.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 $15.30

$10.03 MX$174

52.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.41 $13.41

$8.09 MX$140

65.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.86 $20.86

$11.62 MX$201

79.52%

Apples (1kg)

$6.86 $6.86

$2.97 MX$51.3

130.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.81 MX$31.24

3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.36 $6.36

$2.01 MX$34.82

216.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$2.03 MX$35.20

210.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.12 MX$36.75

51.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.27 MX$39.25

52.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.40 MX$24.22

71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.13 MX$19.55

124.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.50 $13.50

$4.27 MX$73.9

216.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.45 $16.45

$15.56 MX$269

5.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.76 MX$30.39

-3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 $5.61

$3.60 MX$62.2

55.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 $2.41

$0.38 MX$6.62

534.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.8 $88.8

$19.18 MX$332

363.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.38 MX$23.79

86.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.28 MX$4.78

532.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.63 $27.63

$5.45 MX$94.2

406.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.30 MX$22.55

-29.23%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

60.71%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

9.25%

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

$157 $157

$40.86 MX$707

283.43%

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

$52.9 $52.9

$26.81 MX$464

97.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 $55.9

$29.96 MX$518

86.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$52.0 MX$900

93.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.11 $30.11

$26.84 MX$464

12.18%

Cinema Ticket

$15.36 $15.36

$6.30 MX$109

143.81%

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

$2,743 $2,743

$436 MX$7,544

529.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.4K $27.4K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

163.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$56.7 MX$980

15.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 $44.25

$44.38 MX$768

-0.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$103 MX$1,780

-0.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$106 MX$1,825

37.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,888 $2,888

$1,022 MX$17.7K

182.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,827 $2,827

$631 MX$10.9K

348.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,029 $5,029

$2,136 MX$36.9K

135.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,551 $3,551

$1,243 MX$21.5K

185.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 $5,085

$3,903 MX$67.5K

30.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,047 $5,047

$2,064 MX$35.7K

144.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,341 $6,341

$1,115 MX$19.3K

468.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

11.34

-43.30%

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

Last update for Cambridge, MA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,888 in Cambridge, MA and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 469% 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: $98.0 in Cambridge, MA vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $484 vs $288 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, MA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 201% lower than in Cambridge, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cambridge, MA pays 469% more on average, 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: $2,888 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Cambridge, MA. 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 $54.0 versus $98.0 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $4,414 in Cambridge, MA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Cambridge, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,467 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cambridge, MA 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 201% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.