Cost of Living Comparison Between Effingham, IL and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Effingham, IL and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,560 in Effingham, IL versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,554 in Effingham, IL versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,549 in Effingham, IL versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Effingham, IL is roughly 75% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Effingham, IL 91% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.07 $15.07

$13.30 MX$231

13.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.36 $45.36

$53.8 MX$932

-15.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$9.42 MX$163

4.25%

Cappuccino

$5.36 $5.36

$3.59 MX$62.3

49.30%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$1.62 MX$28.13

48.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.12 MX$19.49

73.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$3.25 MX$56.3

54.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$4.65 MX$80.6

52.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 $0.55

$1.64 MX$28.37

-66.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.65 MX$46.00

3.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.96 MX$33.99

119.39%

Eggs

$3.07 $3.07

$2.54 MX$44.08

20.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.73 $15.73

$9.97 MX$173

57.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.00 $11.00

$8.39 MX$145

31.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 $14.24

$11.83 MX$205

20.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.86 MX$49.62

92.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.73 MX$30.05

-12.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$1.99 MX$34.50

113.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$2.05 MX$35.51

181.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.06 MX$35.64

8.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.28 MX$39.54

-52.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.45 MX$25.05

30.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.09 MX$18.83

85.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.77 $8.77

$4.27 MX$73.9

105.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 $12.08

$14.67 MX$254

-17.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.76 MX$30.58

47.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.57 MX$61.8

-6.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.38 MX$6.67

436.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.39 MX$24.09

102.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.30 MX$5.26

356.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.62 $29.62

$5.41 MX$93.8

447.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.34 MX$23.22

-38.06%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

84.75%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

14.85%

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

$238 $238

$40.30 MX$698

490.37%

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

$45.30 $45.30

$27.15 MX$471

66.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$29.46 MX$510

108.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.69 $43.69

$52.7 MX$914

-17.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 $12.08

$6.18 MX$107

95.47%

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

$1,247 $1,247

$441 MX$7,637

182.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K $13.5K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

25.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.47 $44.47

$57.2 MX$992

-22.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 $35.35

$45.04 MX$781

-21.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 $83.4

$103 MX$1,793

-19.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.4 $65.4

$109 MX$1,884

-39.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$1,000 MX$17.3K

60.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 $1,334

$632 MX$11.0K

111.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$2,141 MX$37.1K

22.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,184 $2,184

$1,253 MX$21.7K

74.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,342 $2,342

$3,745 MX$64.9K

-37.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,582 $2,582

$2,381 MX$41.3K

8.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

11.34

-41.71%

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

Last update for Effingham, IL: April 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,602 in Effingham, IL and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45 in Effingham, IL vs $54 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $374 vs $286, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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

Effingham, IL vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Effingham, IL and Mexico City differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($2,560 vs $1,466 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,840 in Effingham, IL and $2,199 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,602 in Effingham, IL versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Effingham, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,560 per month in Effingham, IL versus $1,466 in Mexico City – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $2,560 in Effingham, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Effingham, 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 75% less than in Effingham, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.