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: $2,243 in Cambridge versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,021 in Cambridge versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,799 in Cambridge versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 55% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 67% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.38 NZ$22.84

$12.98 MX$223

3.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.53 NZ$62.4

$52.6 MX$903

-30.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 NZ$15.48

$9.43 MX$162

-3.82%

Cappuccino

$2.97 NZ$5.07

$3.57 MX$61.3

-16.81%

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

$2.42 NZ$4.13

$1.61 MX$27.55

50.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 NZ$3.71

$1.15 MX$19.81

88.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.72 NZ$8.05

$3.15 MX$54.0

49.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.38 NZ$10.89

$4.86 MX$83.4

31.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.89

$1.70 MX$29.17

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 NZ$2.77

$2.64 MX$45.23

-38.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.12

$1.90 MX$32.67

-3.68%

Eggs

$6.05 NZ$10.33

$2.54 MX$43.62

138.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 NZ$13.79

$10.08 MX$173

-19.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.37

$8.29 MX$142

8.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 NZ$21.20

$11.57 MX$199

7.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 NZ$4.17

$3.03 MX$52.0

-19.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.71 MX$29.35

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 NZ$4.05

$2.05 MX$35.16

15.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 NZ$5.05

$2.06 MX$35.36

43.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 NZ$3.67

$2.06 MX$35.43

4.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$2.17 MX$37.25

-15.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 NZ$3.61

$1.40 MX$24.08

50.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 NZ$2.15

$1.12 MX$19.26

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.57 NZ$35.13

$4.29 MX$73.7

379.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.71 NZ$16.58

$15.41 MX$265

-36.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NZ$4.19

$1.67 MX$28.74

46.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 NZ$4.57

$3.69 MX$63.3

-27.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 NZ$5.05

$0.38 MX$6.55

678.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 NZ$111

$19.06 MX$327

240.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 NZ$4.49

$1.38 MX$23.70

90.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 NZ$3.41

$0.28 MX$4.74

614.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.24 NZ$60.2

$5.42 MX$92.9

550.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.85

$1.28 MX$21.98

30.47%

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

$26.8K NZ$45.8K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

41.34%

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

$22.8K NZ$39.0K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-2.73%

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

$109 NZ$187

$41.02 MX$704

166.38%

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

$36.87 NZ$63.0

$26.92 MX$462

36.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.85 NZ$68.1

$29.69 MX$510

34.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 NZ$62.5

$52.3 MX$898

-30.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.17 NZ$20.78

$26.23 MX$450

-53.60%

Cinema Ticket

$8.96 NZ$15.31

$6.18 MX$106

44.98%

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

$739 NZ$1,262

$427 MX$7,331

73.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.9K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

14.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.4 NZ$168

$56.8 MX$975

73.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.9 NZ$97.1

$44.83 MX$769

26.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$177

$105 MX$1,794

-0.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 NZ$219

$106 MX$1,819

20.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$974 NZ$1,663

$995 MX$17.1K

-2.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 NZ$2,050

$621 MX$10.7K

93.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,092 NZ$3,572

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-1.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 NZ$2,717

$1,254 MX$21.5K

26.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,477 NZ$7,644

$3,903 MX$67.0K

14.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,392 NZ$5,792

$2,096 MX$36.0K

61.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,629 NZ$4,489

$1,107 MX$19.0K

137.42%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $974 in Cambridge and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 137% 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: $37.00 in Cambridge vs $53.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $290 vs $288, 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 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cambridge pays 137% 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: $974 in Cambridge versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,243 per month in Cambridge versus $1,447 in Mexico City – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 240% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $2,243 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 55% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.