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: $4,358 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,668 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,727 in Cambridge, MA versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,096 in Cambridge, MA versus $3,557 in Mexico City.

Living in Cambridge, MA is roughly 161% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge, MA 223% above, Mexico City 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.80 $19.80

$12.03 MX$213

64.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 $99.9

$52.8 MX$937

89.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$11.69 MX$207

2.91%

Cappuccino

$5.29 $5.29

$3.87 MX$68.7

36.69%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$1.75 MX$31.05

76.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.39 MX$24.74

72.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 $8.14

$3.36 MX$59.6

142.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 $8.15

$5.77 MX$102

41.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.81 MX$32.04

-40.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.08 MX$54.7

36.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$2.13 MX$37.78

201.88%

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$2.98 MX$52.8

66.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 $15.10

$12.53 MX$222

20.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.00 $14.00

$10.24 MX$182

36.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.48 $18.48

$15.92 MX$282

16.08%

Apples (1kg)

$7.27 $7.27

$3.39 MX$60.1

114.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.11 MX$37.37

-18.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$2.13 MX$37.73

157.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.46 $6.46

$2.47 MX$43.77

161.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.04 MX$36.16

84.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.01 MX$35.72

88.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.59 MX$28.25

77.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.33 MX$23.58

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.40 $12.40

$5.49 MX$97.4

125.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.73 $16.73

$17.52 MX$311

-4.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.01 MX$35.74

-7.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 $5.57

$4.74 MX$84.1

17.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 $2.42

$0.34 MX$5.96

611.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.0 $90.0

$21.07 MX$374

327.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.05 MX$36.41

-0.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.61 MX$10.79

152.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.20 $11.20

$5.70 MX$101

96.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.59 MX$28.20

-35.22%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$22.9K MX$406.1K

58.02%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.4K MX$467.9K

-1.20%

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

$226 $226

$64.2 MX$1,140

251.65%

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

$54.4 $54.4

$29.42 MX$522

85.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.8 $78.8

$36.83 MX$653

113.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 $74.2

$58.7 MX$1,042

26.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.42 $29.42

$26.54 MX$471

10.85%

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 $15.17

$6.95 MX$123

118.27%

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

$2,798 $2,798

$463 MX$8,210

504.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.8K $35.8K

$13.4K MX$237.1K

168.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 $73.5

$75.4 MX$1,338

-2.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 $50.2

$54.2 MX$962

-7.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$111 MX$1,972

-8.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$122 MX$2,167

15.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,393 $3,393

$1,133 MX$20.1K

199.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,853 $2,853

$698 MX$12.4K

308.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,306 $5,306

$2,442 MX$43.3K

117.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,525 $3,525

$1,303 MX$23.1K

170.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,961 $4,961

$3,910 MX$69.4K

26.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,005 $5,005

$2,069 MX$36.7K

141.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,324 $6,324

$1,052 MX$18.7K

501.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

11.3

-44.87%

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

Last update for Cambridge, MA: September 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,393 in Cambridge, MA and $1,133 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 501% 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: $100 in Cambridge, MA vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $488 vs $343 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 161% 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.

Average pay runs 501% higher in Cambridge, MA, 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: $3,393 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,133 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% 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 $53.0 versus $100 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,668 in Mexico City versus $4,358 in Cambridge, MA, a $3,000 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 $1,668 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 161% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.