Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Des Moines, IA and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Des Moines, IA and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,171 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,548 in Mexico City.

Des Moines, IA $2,171
Mexico City $1,548

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,236 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,436 in Mexico City.

Des Moines, IA $3,236
Mexico City $2,436

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,301 in Des Moines, IA versus $3,323 in Mexico City.

Des Moines, IA $4,301
Mexico City $3,323

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 40% more expensive than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Moines, IA 60% above, Mexico City 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$11.02 MX$204

78.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$48.68 MX$900

65.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$10.90 MX$201

12.11%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$3.68 MX$68.1

67.39%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$1.63 MX$30.18

79.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.25 MX$23.07

104.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.25 MX$60.1

53.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$5.53 MX$102

6.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.70 MX$31.50

-46.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.02 MX$55.8

0.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.92 MX$35.53

76.04%

Eggs

$4.00 $4.00

$2.73 MX$50.5

46.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$11.77 MX$218

-17.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$9.53 MX$176

3.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$14.41 MX$266

-5.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.02 MX$55.8

43.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.89 MX$35.01

-20.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.99 MX$36.70

128.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.19 MX$40.38

68.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.92 MX$35.43

59.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.87 MX$34.49

14.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.44 MX$26.62

65.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.27 MX$23.39

72.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.22 MX$96.4

50.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$16.17 MX$299

-8.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.90 MX$35.03

-10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$4.22 MX$78.0

-26.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

$0.34 MX$6.30

408.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 $58.1

$19.65 MX$363

195.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.00 MX$36.90

-1.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.52 MX$9.67

136.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.70 $19.70

$5.34 MX$98.7

268.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.52 MX$28.13

-38.82%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$22.1K MX$408.0K

23.10%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$24.5K MX$452.9K

2.60%

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

$185 $185

$61.1 MX$1,129

202.28%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$28.58 MX$528

87.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$34.47 MX$637

103.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 $63.8

$56.4 MX$1,042

13.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 $20.14

$24.88 MX$460

-19.05%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 $9.99

$6.66 MX$123

50.00%

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

$1,187 $1,187

$427 MX$7,891

177.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$11.6K MX$215.0K

2.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 $59.5

$67.8 MX$1,253

-12.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.98 $42.98

$52.0 MX$960

-17.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$106 MX$1,959

-4.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$113 MX$2,080

28.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 $1,177

$1,025 MX$18.9K

14.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 $872

$654 MX$12.1K

33.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$2,308 MX$42.7K

-24.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 $1,394

$1,242 MX$22.9K

12.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,320 $2,320

$3,613 MX$66.8K

-35.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,325 $2,325

$1,936 MX$35.8K

20.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,647 $3,647

$964 MX$17.8K

278.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

11.3

-41.95%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2%

Mexico City

$654 42.3% 25% $218

Groceries & Markets

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1%

Mexico City

$318 20.6% 9% $31

Eating Out

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1%

Mexico City

$204 13.2% 37.6% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2%

Mexico City

$124 8% 59.7% $184

Clothing & Footwear

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2%

Mexico City

$152 9.8% 2.9% $4.6

Sport & Entertainment

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9%

Mexico City

$70 4.5% 16.8% $14

Getting Around

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4%

Mexico City

$26 1.7% 65% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,177 in Des Moines, IA and $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 278% 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: $81.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $49.00 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $318 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

03:48 3:48 AM

02:48 2:48 AM

1 h behind Des Moines, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

214,133

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Des Moines, IA Mexico City 2,510 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Des Moines, IA
Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Des Moines, IA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 278% higher in Des Moines, IA, 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: $1,177 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,025 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 $49.00 versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,171 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,548 in Mexico City – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,548 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Des Moines, IA and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.