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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,077 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,127 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,176 in Des Moines, IA versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 42% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Moines, IA 55% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.83 $15.83

$13.30 MX$231

19.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 $78.5

$53.8 MX$932

45.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$9.42 MX$163

26.96%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$3.59 MX$62.3

36.49%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$1.62 MX$28.13

42.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.12 MX$19.49

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.25 MX$56.3

58.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$4.65 MX$80.6

49.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.64 MX$28.37

-40.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.65 MX$46.00

-8.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.96 MX$33.99

13.78%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$2.54 MX$44.08

43.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.83 $12.83

$9.97 MX$173

28.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 $10.59

$8.39 MX$145

26.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 $12.72

$11.83 MX$205

7.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.86 MX$49.62

60.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.73 MX$30.05

-13.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$1.99 MX$34.50

89.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.05 MX$35.51

68.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.06 MX$35.64

-18.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.28 MX$39.54

29.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.45 MX$25.05

59.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.09 MX$18.83

3.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.27 MX$73.9

63.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$14.67 MX$254

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.76 MX$30.58

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.57 MX$61.8

10.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.38 MX$6.67

373.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 $57.7

$18.73 MX$325

207.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.39 MX$24.09

41.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.30 MX$5.26

320.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.93 $19.93

$5.41 MX$93.8

268.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.34 MX$23.22

-38.81%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

40.52%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

7.21%

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

$148 $148

$40.30 MX$698

266.45%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$27.15 MX$471

85.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 $52.8

$29.46 MX$510

79.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 $67.9

$52.7 MX$914

28.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.01 $20.01

$26.17 MX$454

-23.54%

Cinema Ticket

$15.07 $15.07

$6.18 MX$107

143.85%

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

$1,391 $1,391

$441 MX$7,637

215.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K $11.9K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

11.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 $52.9

$57.2 MX$992

-7.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.50 $42.50

$45.04 MX$781

-5.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 $73.9

$103 MX$1,793

-28.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$109 MX$1,884

13.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 $1,209

$1,000 MX$17.3K

20.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 $897

$632 MX$11.0K

41.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,788 $1,788

$2,141 MX$37.1K

-16.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 $1,514

$1,253 MX$21.7K

20.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,334 $2,334

$3,745 MX$64.9K

-37.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,352 $2,352

$2,381 MX$41.3K

-1.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,564 $3,564

$1,079 MX$18.7K

230.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

11.34

-42.68%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: April 22, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,209 in Des Moines, IA and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 230% 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: $79 in Des Moines, IA vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $331 vs $286 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

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

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 42% 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.

Des Moines, IA pays 230% 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: $1,209 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,000 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 $79.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,077 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,466 in Mexico City – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $2,077 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 $1,466 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 42% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.