Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Des Plaines, IL versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,292 in Des Plaines, IL versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,445 in Des Plaines, IL versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Des Plaines, IL is roughly 91% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Plaines, IL 128% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.61 $19.61

$12.11 MX$205

61.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.9 $89.9

$52.2 MX$883

72.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.03 $13.03

$10.90 MX$184

19.54%

Cappuccino

$5.72 $5.72

$4.05 MX$68.5

41.23%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$1.72 MX$29.00

55.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.38 MX$23.29

65.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 $6.93

$3.47 MX$58.6

99.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.64 $7.64

$5.81 MX$98.2

31.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.85 MX$31.33

-45.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$3.22 MX$54.5

13.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.09 MX$35.25

125.36%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$2.91 MX$49.18

38.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$12.49 MX$211

21.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$10.11 MX$171

32.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.88 $19.88

$15.89 MX$269

25.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.31 MX$56.0

51.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.13 MX$35.95

-22.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.19 MX$37.03

85.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.45 MX$41.37

99.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.19 MX$37.00

28.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.90 MX$32.20

46.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.62 MX$27.31

29.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.35 MX$22.82

82.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.52 $10.52

$5.43 MX$91.7

93.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$17.59 MX$297

-14.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.07 MX$34.96

22.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$4.75 MX$80.2

-28.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.34 MX$5.75

494.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 $59.3

$21.58 MX$365

174.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.04 MX$34.49

55.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.58 MX$9.77

136.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.51 $22.51

$5.97 MX$101

277.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.62 MX$27.31

-38.27%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$22.8K MX$385.6K

60.31%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.7K MX$450.7K

-4.38%

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

$193 $193

$65.2 MX$1,103

195.62%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$29.87 MX$505

99.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 $78.2

$36.55 MX$618

113.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 $122

$61.0 MX$1,031

100.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.05 $40.05

$26.70 MX$451

50.00%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$6.85 MX$116

116.50%

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

$1,559 $1,559

$453 MX$7,664

243.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

72.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$75.0 MX$1,267

-14.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$55.3 MX$935

-8.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$114 MX$1,920

-9.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$123 MX$2,073

-1.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 $1,619

$712 MX$12.0K

127.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,228 $2,228

$1,311 MX$22.2K

69.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,275 $3,275

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-17.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,480 $2,480

$2,095 MX$35.4K

18.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,177 $6,177

$1,047 MX$17.7K

490.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

11.3

-43.54%

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

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Des Plaines, IL pays 490% 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: $90.0 in Des Plaines, IL vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 vs $345 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 Plaines, IL vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Des Plaines, IL and Mexico City differ by about 91% in total monthly costs ($3,139 vs $1,646 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 490% higher in Des Plaines, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Des Plaines, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $90.0 in Des Plaines, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $3,139 in Des Plaines, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Des Plaines, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Des Plaines, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.