Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbus, OH and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbus, OH and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,562 per month in Columbus, OH vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,849 per month in Columbus, OH vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,135 per month in Columbus, OH vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Columbus, OH costs about 75% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Columbus, OH and Mexico City sit above the global median – Columbus, OH by 91%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$13.18 MX$228

54.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$53.9 MX$931

49.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 $10.98

$9.42 MX$163

16.56%

Cappuccino

$4.88 $4.88

$3.55 MX$61.3

37.46%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$1.62 MX$27.95

59.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.11 MX$19.25

102.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.12 MX$53.9

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.63 MX$80.0

48.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.70 MX$29.40

-46.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.72 MX$46.97

11.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.91 MX$33.04

114.66%

Eggs

$3.18 $3.18

$2.54 MX$43.82

25.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$10.03 MX$173

30.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.81 $13.81

$8.09 MX$140

70.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$11.62 MX$201

39.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$2.97 MX$51.3

101.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.81 MX$31.21

-28.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$2.01 MX$34.79

175.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$2.03 MX$35.16

155.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.12 MX$36.71

69.81%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.27 MX$39.21

34.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.40 MX$24.20

62.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.13 MX$19.53

88.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.34 $9.34

$4.27 MX$73.8

118.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.70 $17.70

$15.56 MX$269

13.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.76 MX$30.36

13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.60 MX$62.1

-28.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.38 MX$6.62

421.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 $61.2

$19.18 MX$331

219.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.38 MX$23.77

120.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.28 MX$4.78

357.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.23 $27.23

$5.45 MX$94.1

399.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.30 MX$22.53

-37.69%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$18.7K MX$322.9K

61.75%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$23.1K MX$399.7K

13.32%

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

$270 $270

$40.86 MX$706

560.06%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$26.81 MX$463

122.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$29.96 MX$518

123.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 $45.42

$52.0 MX$899

-12.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.26 $39.26

$26.84 MX$464

46.27%

Cinema Ticket

$12.23 $12.23

$6.30 MX$109

94.13%

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

$1,225 $1,225

$436 MX$7,536

180.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K $15.1K

$10.4K MX$180.0K

45.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 $55.5

$56.7 MX$979

-2.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.48 $39.48

$44.38 MX$767

-11.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 $81.0

$103 MX$1,779

-21.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$106 MX$1,823

-0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 $1,548

$1,022 MX$17.7K

51.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 $1,183

$631 MX$10.9K

87.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,962 $2,962

$2,136 MX$36.9K

38.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 $2,095

$1,243 MX$21.5K

68.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 $3,455

$3,903 MX$67.4K

-11.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,791 $1,791

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-13.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,750 $3,750

$1,115 MX$19.3K

236.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.34

-42.59%

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

Last update for Columbus, OH: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,548 in Columbus, OH versus $1,022 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 236% higher in Columbus, OH, 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 $80.0 in Columbus, OH versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $288 – 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

Columbus, OH vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Columbus, OH costs about 75% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,844 per month in Columbus, OH and $2,201 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 $2,562 in Columbus, OH and $1,467 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 219% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Columbus, OH at $2,562. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Columbus, OH it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,467 versus $2,562 in Columbus, OH. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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