Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,038 in Cary, NC versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,477 in Cary, NC versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,916 in Cary, NC versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Cary, NC is roughly 109% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cary, NC 127% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.06 $18.06

$13.07 MX$229

38.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 $98.5

$53.8 MX$943

83.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 $10.56

$9.68 MX$170

9.09%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$3.74 MX$65.6

39.57%

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

$2.08 $2.08

$1.62 MX$28.34

28.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.16 MX$20.37

60.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.23 MX$56.6

51.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 $6.74

$4.74 MX$83.1

42.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.65 MX$28.89

-29.70%

White Bread (500g)

$5.61 $5.61

$2.75 MX$48.30

104.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$1.87 MX$32.87

222.46%

Eggs

$4.53 $4.53

$2.50 MX$43.86

81.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.88 $20.88

$10.20 MX$179

104.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.52 $12.52

$8.25 MX$145

51.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.94 $17.94

$11.82 MX$207

51.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$3.01 MX$52.8

93.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.81 MX$31.77

-2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$2.00 MX$35.07

113.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$2.00 MX$35.00

239.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.08 MX$36.56

22.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.27 MX$39.85

51.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.46 MX$25.55

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.08 MX$18.88

82.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.36 $9.36

$4.35 MX$76.3

115.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 $9.93

$16.99 MX$298

-41.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.73 MX$30.40

32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.58 MX$62.7

38.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.39 MX$6.79

387.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

$18.69 MX$328

218.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.33 MX$23.25

168.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.28 MX$4.91

489.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.23 $29.23

$5.25 MX$92.1

456.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.34 MX$23.44

-41.04%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

53.41%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

19.98%

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

$171 $171

$40.69 MX$714

319.14%

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

$49.09 $49.09

$26.87 MX$471

82.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$30.51 MX$535

105.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.6 $75.6

$52.8 MX$926

43.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 $13.72

$6.51 MX$114

110.75%

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

$1,484 $1,484

$428 MX$7,508

246.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

122.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.87 $48.87

$57.3 MX$1,004

-14.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.38 $32.38

$45.50 MX$798

-28.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$104 MX$1,825

21.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$108 MX$1,891

26.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$1,003 MX$17.6K

76.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$623 MX$10.9K

154.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 $2,657

$2,109 MX$37.0K

25.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 $2,748

$1,218 MX$21.4K

125.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,810 $2,810

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-27.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,678 $2,678

$2,033 MX$35.7K

31.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,861 $5,861

$1,038 MX$18.2K

464.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

11.34

-44.36%

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

Last update for Cary, NC: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,770 in Cary, NC and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 465% 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: $99.0 in Cary, NC vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $471 vs $292 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

Cary, NC vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 109% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 465% higher in Cary, NC, 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: $1,770 in Cary, NC versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,484 in Cary, NC versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Cary, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $3,038 in Cary, NC, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Cary, NC. 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 Cary, NC, 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 109% less than in Cary, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.