Cost of Living Comparison Between Chico, CA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Chico, CA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,626 in Chico, CA versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,916 in Chico, CA versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,206 in Chico, CA versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Chico, CA is roughly 79% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chico, CA 96% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.94 $24.94

$13.18 MX$228

89.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 $59.4

$53.9 MX$931

10.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.97 $12.97

$9.42 MX$163

37.69%

Cappuccino

$5.89 $5.89

$3.55 MX$61.3

65.92%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$1.62 MX$27.95

55.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.11 MX$19.25

97.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 $6.97

$3.12 MX$53.9

123.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.39 $8.39

$4.63 MX$80.0

81.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.70 MX$29.40

-24.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.72 MX$46.97

33.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.91 MX$33.04

90.05%

Eggs

$5.41 $5.41

$2.54 MX$43.82

112.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 $13.30

$10.03 MX$173

32.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 $10.61

$8.09 MX$140

31.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 $16.78

$11.62 MX$201

44.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.97 MX$51.3

89.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.81 MX$31.21

19.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.01 MX$34.79

97.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.03 MX$35.16

177.83%

Potato (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$2.12 MX$36.71

115.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.27 MX$39.21

53.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.40 MX$24.20

52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.13 MX$19.53

110.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.22 $8.22

$4.27 MX$73.8

92.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.02 $12.02

$15.56 MX$269

-22.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.76 MX$30.36

-3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 $5.34

$3.60 MX$62.1

48.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$0.38 MX$6.62

676.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.48 $35.48

$19.18 MX$331

84.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.38 MX$23.77

147.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.28 MX$4.78

607.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.63 $39.63

$5.45 MX$94.1

627.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.30 MX$22.53

-7.69%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$18.7K MX$322.9K

26.69%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$23.1K MX$399.7K

8.42%

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

$188 $188

$40.86 MX$706

359.03%

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

$52.9 $52.9

$26.81 MX$463

97.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$29.96 MX$518

138.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 $60.5

$52.0 MX$899

16.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$13.90 $13.90

$6.30 MX$109

120.63%

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

$1,867 $1,867

$436 MX$7,536

328.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.1K $38.1K

$10.4K MX$180.0K

266.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 $58.6

$56.7 MX$979

3.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.99 $31.99

$44.38 MX$767

-27.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 $79.6

$103 MX$1,779

-22.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 $98.4

$106 MX$1,823

-6.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,447 $1,447

$1,022 MX$17.7K

41.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 $1,223

$631 MX$10.9K

93.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,761 $2,761

$2,136 MX$36.9K

29.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,259 $2,259

$1,243 MX$21.5K

81.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,247 $3,247

$3,903 MX$67.4K

-16.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,994 $2,994

$2,064 MX$35.7K

45.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,867 $3,867

$1,115 MX$19.3K

246.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.34

-42.24%

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

Last update for Chico, CA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,447 in Chico, CA and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chico, CA pays 247% 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: $59.0 in Chico, CA vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 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

Chico, CA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chico, CA pays 247% 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: $1,447 in Chico, CA versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $59.0 in Chico, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,626 per month in Chico, CA versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,626 in Chico, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Chico, CA. 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 Chico, CA, 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 79% less than in Chico, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.