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: $2,586 in Des Plaines, IL versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,830 in Des Plaines, IL versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,074 in Des Plaines, IL versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Des Plaines, IL is roughly 78% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Plaines, IL 94% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.24 $15.24

$13.07 MX$228

16.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 $79.4

$53.8 MX$936

47.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 $11.06

$9.68 MX$169

14.26%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$3.74 MX$65.1

46.26%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$1.62 MX$28.13

64.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.16 MX$20.23

97.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$3.23 MX$56.2

80.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 $7.14

$4.74 MX$82.5

50.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.65 MX$28.68

-47.27%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.75 MX$47.95

48.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$1.87 MX$32.63

179.68%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.50 MX$43.54

65.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.69 $13.69

$10.20 MX$178

34.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.16 $13.16

$8.25 MX$144

59.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.69 $16.69

$11.82 MX$206

41.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.01 MX$52.4

51.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.81 MX$31.54

-7.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.00 MX$34.81

111.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.00 MX$34.74

128.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.08 MX$36.30

18.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.27 MX$39.56

23.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.46 MX$25.36

32.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.08 MX$18.74

80.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.65 $14.65

$4.35 MX$75.7

236.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 $14.84

$16.99 MX$296

-12.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.73 MX$30.18

36.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.58 MX$62.3

1.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.39 MX$6.74

425.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 $4.47

$1.33 MX$23.08

236.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.28 MX$4.87

410.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.78 $24.78

$5.25 MX$91.5

372.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.34 MX$23.27

-18.66%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

31.28%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

5.92%

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

$183 $183

$40.69 MX$709

350.87%

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

$51.4 $51.4

$26.87 MX$468

91.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$30.51 MX$531

116.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 $42.42

$52.8 MX$919

-19.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.16 $40.16

$26.65 MX$464

50.69%

Cinema Ticket

$15.04 $15.04

$6.51 MX$113

131.03%

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

$1,636 $1,636

$428 MX$7,454

282.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K $24.8K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

136.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 $64.4

$57.3 MX$997

12.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.01 $48.01

$45.50 MX$792

5.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 $96.6

$104 MX$1,812

-7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$108 MX$1,878

23.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$1,003 MX$17.5K

58.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 $1,332

$623 MX$10.8K

113.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,646 $2,646

$2,109 MX$36.7K

25.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,179 $2,179

$1,218 MX$21.2K

78.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,290 $3,290

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-15.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,502 $2,502

$2,033 MX$35.4K

23.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,149 $6,149

$1,038 MX$18.1K

492.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

11.34

-41.80%

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

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,587 in Des Plaines, IL and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Plaines, IL pays 493% 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: $79.0 in Des Plaines, IL vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $292 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 78% in total monthly costs ($2,586 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 493% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,587 in Des Plaines, IL versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,636 in Des Plaines, IL versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $79.0 in Des Plaines, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,586 in Des Plaines, IL, a $2,000 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 78% less than in Des Plaines, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.