Cost of Living Comparison Between Downey, CA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Downey, CA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,881 in Downey, CA versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,508 in Downey, CA versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,135 in Downey, CA versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Downey, CA is roughly 96% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Downey, CA 115% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.68 $19.68

$13.18 MX$228

49.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 $85.8

$53.9 MX$932

59.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.56 $14.56

$9.42 MX$163

54.56%

Cappuccino

$5.36 $5.36

$3.55 MX$61.4

50.99%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$1.62 MX$27.98

69.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.11 MX$19.27

77.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$3.12 MX$54.0

128.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$4.63 MX$80.1

71.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.70 MX$29.43

-37.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.72 MX$47.02

44.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$1.91 MX$33.07

142.93%

Eggs

$4.66 $4.66

$2.54 MX$43.86

83.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 $10.81

$10.03 MX$174

7.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.17 $13.17

$8.09 MX$140

62.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 $14.30

$11.62 MX$201

23.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.97 MX$51.3

19.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.81 MX$31.24

-3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.01 MX$34.82

104.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$2.03 MX$35.20

180.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.12 MX$36.75

55.66%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.27 MX$39.25

45.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.40 MX$24.22

8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.13 MX$19.55

91.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.88 $10.88

$4.27 MX$73.9

154.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$15.56 MX$269

-5.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.76 MX$30.39

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.60 MX$62.2

-2.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.38 MX$6.62

410.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.57 $6.57

$1.38 MX$23.79

376.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.28 MX$4.78

507.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.98 $28.98

$5.45 MX$94.2

431.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.30 MX$22.55

-1.54%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

27.31%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

2.77%

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

$160 $160

$40.86 MX$707

292.27%

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

$45.72 $45.72

$26.81 MX$464

70.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$29.96 MX$518

102.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.61 $34.61

$52.0 MX$900

-33.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$13.98 $13.98

$6.30 MX$109

121.90%

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

$1,195 $1,195

$436 MX$7,544

174.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

124.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 $56.3

$56.7 MX$980

-0.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 $35.35

$44.38 MX$768

-20.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$103 MX$1,780

-15.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$106 MX$1,825

-4.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 $1,781

$1,022 MX$17.7K

74.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,675 $1,675

$631 MX$10.9K

165.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,651 $3,651

$2,136 MX$36.9K

70.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,361 $3,361

$1,243 MX$21.5K

170.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,767 $5,767

$3,903 MX$67.5K

47.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,767 $5,767

$2,064 MX$35.7K

179.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,294 $4,294

$1,115 MX$19.3K

285.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

11.34

-41.45%

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

Last update for Downey, CA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,781 in Downey, CA and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Downey, CA pays 285% 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: $86.0 in Downey, CA vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $288 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

Downey, CA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Downey, CA pays 285% 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: $1,781 in Downey, CA versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Downey, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,881 per month in Downey, CA versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,881 in Downey, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Downey, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Downey, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Downey, CA 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 96% less than in Downey, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.