Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubuque, IA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubuque, IA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,813 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $1,466 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $2,325 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,297 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $3,184 in Mexico City, rent included.

Dubuque, IA costs about 24% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Dubuque, IA and Mexico City sit above the global median – Dubuque, IA by 35%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.69 $15.69

$13.30 MX$231

17.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 $50.5

$53.8 MX$932

-6.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.09 $10.09

$9.42 MX$163

7.11%

Cappuccino

$4.60 $4.60

$3.59 MX$62.3

28.13%

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

$1.97 $1.97

$1.62 MX$28.13

21.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.12 MX$19.49

-8.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.25 MX$56.3

-10.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 $4.60

$4.65 MX$80.6

-1.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.64 MX$28.37

-53.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.65 MX$46.00

-11.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.96 MX$33.99

58.67%

Eggs

$2.79 $2.79

$2.54 MX$44.08

9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 $9.77

$9.97 MX$173

-2.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.99 $9.99

$8.39 MX$145

19.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 $14.10

$11.83 MX$205

19.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.86 MX$49.62

28.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.73 MX$30.05

-32.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.99 MX$34.50

78.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.05 MX$35.51

62.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.06 MX$35.64

-12.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.28 MX$39.54

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.45 MX$25.05

28.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.09 MX$18.83

80.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.24 $8.24

$4.27 MX$73.9

92.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 $13.31

$14.67 MX$254

-9.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.76 MX$30.58

2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.57 MX$61.8

-21.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 $1.32

$0.38 MX$6.67

247.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 $44.21

$18.73 MX$325

136.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.39 MX$24.09

107.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.30 MX$5.26

446.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.64 $20.64

$5.41 MX$93.8

281.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.34 MX$23.22

-39.55%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

58.66%

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

$22.5K $22.5K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

-2.92%

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

$183 $183

$40.30 MX$698

353.00%

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

$48.28 $48.28

$27.15 MX$471

77.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 $63.8

$29.46 MX$510

116.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 $38.22

$52.7 MX$914

-27.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$8.58 $8.58

$6.18 MX$107

38.83%

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

$787 $787

$441 MX$7,637

78.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

122.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.57 $42.57

$57.2 MX$992

-25.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.34 $35.34

$45.04 MX$781

-21.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 $79.5

$103 MX$1,793

-23.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 $91.3

$109 MX$1,884

-16.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 $963

$1,000 MX$17.3K

-3.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 $750

$632 MX$11.0K

18.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,408 $1,408

$2,141 MX$37.1K

-34.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$966 $966

$1,253 MX$21.7K

-22.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,749 $1,749

$3,745 MX$64.9K

-53.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 $1,740

$2,381 MX$41.3K

-26.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,664 $4,664

$1,079 MX$18.7K

332.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

11.34

-56.97%

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

Last update for Dubuque, IA: April 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Dubuque, IA versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 332% higher in Dubuque, IA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Dubuque, IA versus $54 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $315 in Dubuque, IA vs $286 in Mexico City – so Mexico City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Dubuque, IA costs about 24% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,720 per month in Dubuque, IA and $2,199 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 136% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Dubuque, IA and $441 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,466, than in Dubuque, IA at $1,813. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubuque, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,466 versus $1,813 in Dubuque, IA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dubuque, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.