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 $2,105 per month in El Paso, TX vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,148 per month in El Paso, TX vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,191 per month in El Paso, TX vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

El Paso, TX costs about 27% 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 54%, Mexico City by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.75 $18.75

$11.92 MX$206

57.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 $77.7

$51.6 MX$890

50.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$11.41 MX$197

6.31%

Cappuccino

$6.10 $6.10

$3.99 MX$68.9

52.88%

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

$2.32 $2.32

$1.66 MX$28.61

39.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.33 MX$22.87

20.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.47 MX$59.9

68.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$5.90 MX$102

15.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.88 MX$32.36

-55.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.25 MX$56.1

-7.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.16 MX$37.26

11.11%

Eggs

$3.63 $3.63

$2.90 MX$49.94

25.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 $11.76

$12.86 MX$222

-8.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.61 $11.61

$10.05 MX$173

15.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 $12.80

$15.86 MX$273

-19.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.29 MX$56.8

9.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.01 MX$34.60

-27.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.20 MX$37.93

15.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.36 MX$40.63

52.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.05 MX$35.43

4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.90 MX$32.79

47.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.61 MX$27.68

10.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.40 MX$24.09

12.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.39 $9.39

$5.46 MX$94.2

71.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.61 $9.61

$17.65 MX$304

-45.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.06 MX$35.44

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.68 MX$80.8

0.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.34 MX$5.84

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.10 $48.10

$20.81 MX$359

131.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.10 MX$36.15

-23.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$0.56 MX$9.64

157.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.62 $26.62

$5.81 MX$100

358.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.61 MX$27.68

-46.58%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

55.49%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-6.71%

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

$160 $160

$65.2 MX$1,124

145.09%

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

$70.5 $70.5

$30.09 MX$519

134.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 $68.8

$37.18 MX$641

84.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.14 $18.14

$59.8 MX$1,030

-69.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.27 $8.27

$26.55 MX$458

-68.85%

Cinema Ticket

$11.77 $11.77

$7.04 MX$121

67.19%

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

$578 $578

$465 MX$8,012

24.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,034 $7,034

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-47.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.69 $46.69

$75.9 MX$1,308

-38.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.28 $36.28

$56.0 MX$965

-35.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$112 MX$1,929

-5.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 $177

$121 MX$2,078

47.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 $1,126

$1,103 MX$19.0K

2.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$895 $895

$721 MX$12.4K

24.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 $1,679

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-33.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,502 $1,502

$1,293 MX$22.3K

16.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,771 $1,771

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-55.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,814 $1,814

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-13.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,279 $3,279

$1,037 MX$17.9K

216.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.13

11.3

-45.75%

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

Last update for El Paso, TX: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,126 in El Paso, TX versus $1,103 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 216% 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 $78.0 in El Paso, TX versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in El Paso, TX vs $345 in Mexico City – so El Paso, TX 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

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

El Paso, TX costs about 27% 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 $3,158 per month in El Paso, TX and $2,489 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 $2,105 in El Paso, TX and $1,660 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 131% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,660, than in El Paso, TX at $2,105. 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 $1,660 versus $2,105 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.