Cost of Living Comparison Between Decatur, IL and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Decatur, IL and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,636 per month in Decatur, IL vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,500 per month in Decatur, IL vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,364 per month in Decatur, IL vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Decatur, IL costs about 12% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Decatur, IL and Mexico City sit above the global median – Decatur, IL by 22%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.27 $19.27

$13.07 MX$228

47.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.9 $67.9

$53.8 MX$936

26.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 $9.09

$9.68 MX$169

-6.10%

Cappuccino

$5.16 $5.16

$3.74 MX$65.1

37.97%

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

$2.24 $2.24

$1.62 MX$28.13

38.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.16 MX$20.23

44.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 $4.88

$3.23 MX$56.2

51.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 $6.10

$4.74 MX$82.5

28.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.65 MX$28.68

-52.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.75 MX$47.95

-4.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.87 MX$32.63

9.09%

Eggs

$3.71 $3.71

$2.50 MX$43.54

48.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 $8.77

$10.20 MX$178

-14.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.58 $7.58

$8.25 MX$144

-8.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 $13.44

$11.82 MX$206

13.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.01 MX$52.4

45.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.81 MX$31.54

22.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.00 MX$34.81

126.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.00 MX$34.74

66.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 $0.85

$2.08 MX$36.30

-59.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.27 MX$39.56

-52.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.46 MX$25.36

4.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.08 MX$18.74

129.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.35 MX$75.7

58.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$16.99 MX$296

-10.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.73 MX$30.18

6.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.58 MX$62.3

-45.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.39 MX$6.74

410.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.33 MX$23.08

121.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.28 MX$4.87

396.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.43 $29.43

$5.25 MX$91.5

460.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.34 MX$23.27

-38.06%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

52.60%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

6.93%

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

$85.2 $85.2

$40.69 MX$709

109.44%

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

$61.1 $61.1

$26.87 MX$468

127.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 $63.3

$30.51 MX$531

107.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 $74.0

$52.8 MX$919

40.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 $12.16

$6.51 MX$113

86.79%

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

$1,320 $1,320

$428 MX$7,454

208.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

124.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 $56.0

$57.3 MX$997

-2.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$45.50 MX$792

-3.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 $76.5

$104 MX$1,812

-26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$194 $194

$108 MX$1,878

80.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 $859

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-14.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 $565

$623 MX$10.8K

-9.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 $1,019

$2,109 MX$36.7K

-51.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 $808

$1,218 MX$21.2K

-33.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$950 $950

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-75.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$952 $952

$2,033 MX$35.4K

-53.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,468 $4,468

$1,038 MX$18.1K

330.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

11.34

-42.15%

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

Last update for Decatur, IL: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $859 in Decatur, IL 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 330% higher in Decatur, IL, 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 $68.0 in Decatur, IL versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 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

Decatur, IL vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Decatur, IL is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,455 per month in Decatur, IL 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Decatur, IL and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Decatur, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,456, than in Decatur, IL at $1,636. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Decatur, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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