Cost of Living Comparison Between College Park, MD and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between College Park, MD and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,996 per month in College Park, MD vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,383 per month in College Park, MD vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,769 per month in College Park, MD vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

College Park, MD costs about 106% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both College Park, MD and Mexico City sit above the global median – College Park, MD by 124%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$13.07 MX$229

55.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.1 $79.1

$53.8 MX$940

47.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.23 $13.23

$9.68 MX$169

36.67%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$3.74 MX$65.4

45.72%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$1.62 MX$28.25

71.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.16 MX$20.31

93.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$3.23 MX$56.4

82.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 $7.93

$4.74 MX$82.9

67.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.65 MX$28.80

-45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.75 MX$48.15

17.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.08 $7.08

$1.87 MX$32.77

278.61%

Eggs

$4.95 $4.95

$2.50 MX$43.72

98.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.88 $18.88

$10.20 MX$178

85.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$8.25 MX$144

22.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.47 $16.47

$11.82 MX$207

39.34%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.01 MX$52.6

103.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.81 MX$31.67

1.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.16 $8.16

$2.00 MX$34.96

308.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$2.00 MX$34.89

222.50%

Potato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.08 MX$36.45

124.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.27 MX$39.72

62.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.46 MX$25.47

52.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.08 MX$18.82

124.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.48 $11.48

$4.35 MX$76.0

163.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 $14.23

$16.99 MX$297

-16.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.73 MX$30.31

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.58 MX$62.5

2.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.39 MX$6.77

397.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.33 MX$23.18

228.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.28 MX$4.89

435.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.24 $29.24

$5.25 MX$91.8

456.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.34 MX$23.37

-38.81%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$19.4K MX$339.4K

38.83%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$23.8K MX$416.7K

1.98%

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

$220 $220

$40.69 MX$712

441.21%

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

$62.9 $62.9

$26.87 MX$470

133.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 $71.9

$30.51 MX$534

135.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.49 $40.49

$52.8 MX$923

-23.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 $15.09

$6.51 MX$114

131.80%

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

$1,746 $1,746

$428 MX$7,485

307.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$10.5K MX$183.6K

127.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 $54.2

$57.3 MX$1,001

-5.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 $32.82

$45.50 MX$796

-27.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.9 $96.9

$104 MX$1,819

-6.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 $182

$108 MX$1,885

68.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 $1,634

$1,003 MX$17.5K

62.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$623 MX$10.9K

157.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 $3,637

$2,109 MX$36.9K

72.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,731 $2,731

$1,218 MX$21.3K

124.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,391 $6,391

$1,038 MX$18.1K

515.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

11.34

-42.06%

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

Last update for College Park, MD: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,634 in College Park, MD versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 516% higher in College Park, MD, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in College Park, MD versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $457 vs $292 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

College Park, MD vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,996 in College Park, MD, $1,456 in Mexico City – roughly 106% apart. College Park, MD costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,495 per month in College Park, MD and $2,185 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,996 in College Park, MD and $1,456 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,746 per month in College Park, MD and $428 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,456, than in College Park, MD at $2,996. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in College Park, MD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,456 in Mexico City to $2,996 in College Park, MD. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, College Park, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.