Cost of Living Comparison Between El Paso, TX and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between El Paso, TX and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,154 per month in El Paso, TX vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,259 per month in El Paso, TX vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,364 per month in El Paso, TX vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

El Paso, TX costs about 45% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both El Paso, TX and Mexico City sit above the global median – El Paso, TX by 61%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.63 $18.63

$12.98 MX$226

43.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 $69.2

$53.1 MX$923

30.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 $11.79

$9.72 MX$169

21.30%

Cappuccino

$6.51 $6.51

$3.75 MX$65.2

73.60%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$1.57 MX$27.30

75.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.13 MX$19.64

70.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$3.18 MX$55.3

58.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 $6.11

$4.66 MX$81.1

31.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.62 MX$28.21

-46.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.71 MX$47.09

-8.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.88 MX$32.70

37.77%

Eggs

$3.68 $3.68

$2.51 MX$43.65

46.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.39 $11.39

$10.08 MX$175

13.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.17 $11.17

$8.29 MX$144

34.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 $11.94

$11.94 MX$208

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.86 MX$49.77

39.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.75 MX$30.45

-27.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.08 MX$36.27

93.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.97 MX$34.27

119.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.16 MX$37.58

58.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.18 MX$37.94

33.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.39 MX$24.20

57.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.12 MX$19.57

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.23 $12.23

$4.20 MX$73.1

191.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$14.25 MX$248

-42.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.76 MX$30.68

19.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 $4.72

$3.68 MX$64.1

28.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.39 MX$6.71

274.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.55 $47.55

$18.66 MX$325

154.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.39 MX$24.12

17.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.30 MX$5.29

356.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.32 $27.32

$5.42 MX$94.3

404.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.35 MX$23.50

-45.93%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

24.47%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

12.14%

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

$164 $164

$40.82 MX$710

302.65%

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

$64.6 $64.6

$27.50 MX$479

134.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.8 $70.8

$30.38 MX$529

133.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.25 $25.25

$53.4 MX$930

-52.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.67 $7.67

$26.30 MX$458

-70.84%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 $11.56

$6.27 MX$109

84.37%

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

$572 $572

$436 MX$7,588

31.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,041 $7,041

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-32.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.18 $40.18

$56.8 MX$988

-29.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.03 $43.03

$44.79 MX$779

-3.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 $96.0

$103 MX$1,789

-6.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 $173

$108 MX$1,878

60.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 $1,038

$1,000 MX$17.4K

3.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$880 $880

$620 MX$10.8K

41.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 $1,700

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-20.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$1,235 MX$21.5K

29.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,778 $1,778

$3,865 MX$67.3K

-53.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,788 $1,788

$2,332 MX$40.6K

-23.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,302 $3,302

$1,067 MX$18.6K

209.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.34

-42.59%

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

Last update for El Paso, TX: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,038 in El Paso, TX 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 209% higher in El Paso, TX, 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 $69.0 in El Paso, TX versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $286 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

El Paso, TX vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Paso, TX costs about 45% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,231 per month in El Paso, TX and $2,225 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,154 in El Paso, TX and $1,484 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 155% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in El Paso, TX at $2,154. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in El Paso, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,484 versus $2,154 in El Paso, TX. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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