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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,049 in Elgin, IL versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,589 in Elgin, IL versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,129 in Elgin, IL versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Elgin, IL costs roughly 37% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Elgin, IL is 24% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.61 $19.61

$12.14 MX$206

61.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 $60.6

$53.9 MX$916

12.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 $10.05

$11.09 MX$188

-9.38%

Cappuccino

$4.01 $4.01

$4.10 MX$69.6

-2.20%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$1.68 MX$28.57

81.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.39 MX$23.58

42.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.33 MX$56.6

80.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.88 MX$99.9

-15.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.85 MX$31.45

-52.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 $3.63

$3.17 MX$53.9

14.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.07 MX$35.18

135.75%

Eggs

$3.92 $3.92

$2.93 MX$49.74

33.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 $11.21

$12.59 MX$214

-10.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$10.11 MX$172

32.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 $12.00

$16.09 MX$273

-25.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.39 MX$57.6

30.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.08 MX$35.31

-35.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.12 MX$36.02

22.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$2.41 MX$41.01

74.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.13 MX$36.17

-9.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.01 MX$34.07

-0.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.55 MX$26.25

17.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.36 MX$23.19

73.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.80 $10.80

$5.77 MX$98.0

87.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 $15.56

$17.74 MX$301

-12.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.07 MX$35.16

30.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$4.61 MX$78.4

-21.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$360

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.05 MX$34.89

96.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.58 MX$9.80

234.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.49 $28.49

$6.07 MX$103

369.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.55 MX$26.38

-35.48%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$22.9K MX$388.6K

54.18%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$27.2K MX$462.7K

-8.00%

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

$101 $101

$67.4 MX$1,145

50.02%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$30.62 MX$520

74.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.20 $49.20

$37.24 MX$633

32.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,044

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$461

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$7.11 MX$121

110.13%

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

$1,716 $1,716

$456 MX$7,750

276.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$13.7K MX$232.6K

71.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.21 $40.21

$74.2 MX$1,260

-45.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.96 $49.96

$57.0 MX$969

-12.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$115 MX$1,961

-11.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$122 MX$2,064

-1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,240 $2,240

$2,577 MX$43.8K

-13.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,778 $1,778

$1,295 MX$22.0K

37.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,256 $2,256

$4,005 MX$68.0K

-43.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,218 $2,218

$2,130 MX$36.2K

4.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,947 $3,947

$1,082 MX$18.4K

264.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

11.3

-44.60%

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

Last update for Elgin, IL: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Elgin, IL pays 265% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Elgin, IL vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 vs $345 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

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

Elgin, IL is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 265% higher in Elgin, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $1,716 in Elgin, IL versus $456 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Elgin, IL – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,049 in Elgin, IL versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Elgin, IL but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Elgin, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Elgin, IL 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 Elgin, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.