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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,581 per month in Evanston, IL vs $1,677 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,458 per month in Evanston, IL vs $2,608 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,335 per month in Evanston, IL vs $3,540 in Mexico City, rent included.

Evanston, IL costs about 54% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Evanston, IL and Mexico City sit above the global median – Evanston, IL by 87%, Mexico City by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.16 $20.16

$12.14 MX$206

66.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$53.9 MX$914

55.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.02 $13.02

$11.09 MX$188

17.40%

Cappuccino

$5.79 $5.79

$4.10 MX$69.5

41.22%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$1.68 MX$28.53

68.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.39 MX$23.55

69.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.94 $6.94

$3.33 MX$56.5

108.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 $7.30

$5.88 MX$99.7

24.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.85 MX$31.41

-43.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 $3.83

$3.17 MX$53.8

20.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.07 MX$35.13

135.27%

Eggs

$4.66 $4.66

$2.93 MX$49.67

59.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.20 $15.20

$12.59 MX$214

20.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.90 $14.90

$10.11 MX$172

47.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.99 $19.99

$16.09 MX$273

24.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$3.39 MX$57.5

60.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.08 MX$35.26

-23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.12 MX$35.97

92.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.41 MX$40.95

111.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.13 MX$36.11

30.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.01 MX$34.02

44.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.55 MX$26.21

35.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.36 MX$23.15

71.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.59 $10.59

$5.77 MX$97.8

83.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$17.74 MX$301

-13.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.07 MX$35.11

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$4.61 MX$78.3

-24.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.37 MX$6.21

564.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.9 $74.9

$21.18 MX$359

253.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.05 MX$34.84

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.58 MX$9.79

143.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.46 $44.46

$6.07 MX$103

632.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.55 MX$26.34

-40.65%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

58.08%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-6.76%

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

$194 $194

$67.4 MX$1,144

187.97%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$30.62 MX$520

96.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$37.24 MX$632

96.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.4 $74.4

$61.5 MX$1,043

21.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.3 $60.3

$27.12 MX$460

122.38%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$7.11 MX$121

112.80%

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

$1,522 $1,522

$456 MX$7,739

233.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K $31.0K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

126.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$74.2 MX$1,259

-13.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 $50.6

$57.0 MX$967

-11.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$115 MX$1,958

-5.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$122 MX$2,061

4.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,656 $1,656

$1,148 MX$19.5K

44.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 $1,120

$709 MX$12.0K

57.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,013 $4,013

$2,577 MX$43.7K

55.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,996 $2,996

$1,295 MX$22.0K

131.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K $14.6K

$4,005 MX$67.9K

263.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.2K $13.2K

$2,130 MX$36.1K

518.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,241 $5,241

$1,082 MX$18.4K

384.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

11.3

-43.01%

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

Last update for Evanston, IL: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,656 in Evanston, IL versus $1,148 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 384% higher in Evanston, IL, 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 $84.0 in Evanston, IL versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $446 vs $345 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,581 in Evanston, IL, $1,677 in Mexico City – roughly 54% apart. Evanston, IL costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,871 per month in Evanston, IL and $2,515 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.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Evanston, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Evanston, IL and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,677, than in Evanston, IL at $2,581. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Evanston, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Evanston, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,677 in Mexico City to $2,581 in Evanston, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Evanston, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.