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: $2,200 in Cambridge versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,031 in Cambridge versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,862 in Cambridge versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 48% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 64% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 NZ$22.75

$12.98 MX$227

2.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.68 NZ$61.0

$53.1 MX$929

-32.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 NZ$15.31

$9.72 MX$170

-7.92%

Cappuccino

$3.06 NZ$5.23

$3.75 MX$65.6

-18.40%

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

$2.41 NZ$4.13

$1.57 MX$27.46

53.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NZ$3.69

$1.13 MX$19.76

91.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.84 NZ$8.27

$3.18 MX$55.7

52.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 NZ$10.79

$4.66 MX$81.6

35.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.78

$1.62 MX$28.37

0.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 NZ$2.78

$2.71 MX$47.36

-40.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.16

$1.88 MX$32.89

-1.60%

Eggs

$6.21 NZ$10.61

$2.51 MX$43.90

147.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 NZ$14.18

$10.08 MX$176

-17.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 NZ$16.14

$8.29 MX$145

13.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 NZ$21.25

$11.94 MX$209

4.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 NZ$4.24

$2.86 MX$50.1

-13.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.10

$1.75 MX$30.62

3.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 NZ$4.14

$2.08 MX$36.48

16.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 NZ$5.26

$1.97 MX$34.46

56.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.58

$2.16 MX$37.79

-3.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.07

$2.18 MX$38.16

-17.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 NZ$3.60

$1.39 MX$24.34

51.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 NZ$2.15

$1.12 MX$19.69

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.34 NZ$34.78

$4.20 MX$73.5

384.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 NZ$17.80

$14.25 MX$249

-26.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 NZ$4.17

$1.76 MX$30.85

38.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 NZ$4.62

$3.68 MX$64.5

-26.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 NZ$5.19

$0.39 MX$6.74

676.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 NZ$109

$18.66 MX$327

241.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 NZ$4.50

$1.39 MX$24.26

89.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.32

$0.30 MX$5.32

546.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.17 NZ$60.1

$5.42 MX$94.9

548.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.94

$1.35 MX$23.63

27.41%

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

$26.7K NZ$45.7K

$18.9K MX$330.5K

41.62%

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

$22.9K NZ$39.2K

$23.2K MX$405.2K

-1.08%

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

$107 NZ$183

$40.82 MX$714

161.56%

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

$36.98 NZ$63.2

$27.50 MX$481

34.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 NZ$67.5

$30.38 MX$532

29.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.05 NZ$63.4

$53.4 MX$935

-30.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 NZ$20.69

$26.30 MX$460

-53.99%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 NZ$15.52

$6.27 MX$110

44.82%

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

$742 NZ$1,269

$436 MX$7,632

70.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

14.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 NZ$169

$56.8 MX$993

74.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 NZ$99.4

$44.79 MX$784

29.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NZ$181

$103 MX$1,799

2.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 NZ$221

$108 MX$1,888

19.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 NZ$1,650

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-3.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 NZ$2,075

$620 MX$10.9K

95.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 NZ$3,573

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-2.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,681

$1,235 MX$21.6K

26.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,762 NZ$8,143

$3,865 MX$67.6K

23.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,478 NZ$5,947

$2,332 MX$40.8K

49.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,642 NZ$4,517

$1,067 MX$18.7K

147.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-47.09%

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

Last update for Cambridge: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $965 in Cambridge and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 148% 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: $36.00 in Cambridge vs $53.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $286, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cambridge pays 148% 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: $965 in Cambridge versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,200 per month in Cambridge versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 241% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,200 in Cambridge, a $2,000 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.

Safety-wise, Cambridge 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 48% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.